In this mail piece, the campaign discusses Jill Chambers's unimpressive record on property tax increases. We've already talked before about how Jill stood by and did nothing as Republican leaders cut $1.5 billion from education which caused our local school property taxes to rise to make up the difference. Knowing how she's been a team player with the Republicans in these efforts, Jill lacks the credibility to stand against their proposed tax increase for 2009.

Governor Sonny Perdue has already suspended this tax relief for homeowners. Here's how it works: Georgia property tax bills include a state homeowner's tax relief grant, it's called the HRTG on your property tax bill. You already pay state income taxes as well as additional taxes to the state, and the Governor and legislature decided about 10 years ago to give some of that money back in the form of lower local property taxes. They transfer that money to the counties, who then apply it to property tax bills.

The average DeKalb County homeowner receives about $200 in annual relief from this credit. If your house is worth more than $250,000 you end up getting a little more. Remember, you pay these taxes to the state and the deal has been that you get some back. Now Gov. Perdue and the Republicans are facing up to a 10% budget deficit and are looking for quick ways to close it. That's why Perdue thinks this credit is wasteful and wants to take it away from you.

Does Jill Chambers support ending this property tax credit? She'd probably say she doesn't. But here's the thing: Jill Chambers has gone along with her party on disastrous education funding cuts, she's stood with insurers instead of children on Peachcare and she's been a partisan Republican who shows a team mentality at the general assembly, and Perdue is the head of her team. She hasn't stood up to any of their budgetary smoke and mirrors show before, and we can't trust her to do the right thing now. And when it comes to the serious budget deficit in general that we face, we can't trust her to do the right thing on education, healthcare and other critical spending needs, not just our property taxes.