Today, we pause to honor our U.S. Veterans and express our appreciation for their service to our nation in protecting our cherished freedom. In the words of Elmer Davis, "This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave."

Also, remember to vote in the City of Lawrenceville runoff election on December 1, and please contact me with your views on any issue that needs to be addressed or whenever I can be of service.

The 2010 session of the Georgia General Assembly will convene on January 11. Since the end of the 2009 session, the economic news in our state has gone from bad to worse.

The latest revenue figures - for the month of October - were more than $246 million off from the same month last year. Through the first four months of this fiscal year, state revenues have already decreased by 15.1 percent, a total of $831 million.

And I should note here that this year's budget was balanced only because Georgia received more than $1 billion in federal stimulus funding. There is no likelihood that money will be available next year.

The Governor has already ordered state agencies and departments to further reduce their budgets in the meantime. This has caused furloughs and reductions in services that will wind up touching all of our lives - whether in our schools, our health care facilities, public safety agencies or our court system.

So, writing the fiscal year 2011 budget will be even more difficult - certainly the biggest challenge we will face in the upcoming session.

Other challenges ahead include the ongoing search for a solution to metro Atlanta's transportation problems. Proposals for a special sales tax for transportation, either at the statewide or regional level, are likely to emerge again, and at least one key House member has called for the state to expand its role in the funding and operation of mass transit systems.

The legislature is also expected to weigh in on the state's response to a federal judge's ruling that could cut off much of metro Atlanta's consumption of water from Lake Lanier. In July, U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson ruled that Georgia must obtain congressional authorization within three years to continue withdrawing water from Lake Lanier, a federal reservoir operated by the Army Corps of Engineers. The ruling was a blow to Georgia's ongoing negotiations with Alabama and Florida on the water issue.

In the two months between now and the beginning of the legislative session, I would appreciate hearing your views on the issues facing Gwinnett County and the State of Georgia. Please contact me at 770-963-1997 or by e-mail and let me know your concerns and what issues are most important to you.