(AP) -- TAX CHEATS
    GA bill would target tax cheats, boost revenues
   
    ATLANTA (AP) - Once reluctant to beef up tax collection efforts,
Georgia lawmakers facing a huge budget shortfall are handing the
state's revenue department new muscle to go after deadbeats.
    The House this past week approved one bill that would give a
handful of tax agents law enforcement power and another that would
make it easier for state officials to garnish the wages of employed
residents who owe taxes.
    And in a cash-strapped budget that contains layoffs for some
state employees, legislators scraped together $8 million over two
years for more auditors, examiners and special investigators.
Revenue Commissioner Bart Graham argues the new staff will more
than pay for itself, bringing in some $100 million in additional
revenue to the state once they're up and running.
   
HOSPITAL TAX
    Georgia Hospital Association gives up fight against tax
   
    ATLANTA (AP) - The Georgia Hospital Association says it will no
longer oppose a controversial hospital "bed tax" proposed by Gov.
Sonny Perdue.
    Hospital association spokesman Kevin Bloye says his group is
working out the implications of the proposal and its cost.
    As originally proposed in Gov. Sonny Perdues recommended fiscal
year 2011 budget, a 1.6 percent hospital fee would collect $345
million in state funds - $247 million from hospitals.
    The Georgia Hospital Association had strongly criticized the fee
plan in the pat, saying it would adversely affect too many
hospitals in the state, and even force some into closure.
   
OFFICER INJURED
    Atlanta officer injured in crash on motorcycle
   
    ATLANTA (AP) - An Atlanta police officer who was driving a
motorcycle has been injured after crashing with another vehicle.
    The wreck happened Sunday morning near the Midtown MARTA
station. Police said the officer was taken to Grady Memorial
Hospital with minor shoulder injuries.
    WSB-TV reports that the driver of the BMW involved in the crash
said the officer rear-ended him and then fell onto the pavement.
    Police said the cause of the accident is under investigation.
   
UTILITY POLE-CRASH
    2 women critical after car strikes GA power pole
   
    NORCROSS, GA (AP) - Police say two women are in critical
condition after their car crashed into a power pole in Norcross.
    WSB-TV reports the accident happened about 4 a.m. Sunday.
    Gwinnett police said one woman was sent to Grady Memorial
Hospital and the other was rushed to Gwinnett Medical Center.
    Firefighters had to extricate the women from their Volvo.
Georgia Power said 89 homes lost power after the car hit and
damaged the power pole, which was to be replaced Sunday. The pole
was snapped in two.
    Gwinnett police said the cause of the accident is under
investigation.
   
COBB COUNTY-EARLY RETIREMENT
    Nearly 200 go for early retirement in Cobb County
   
    ATLANTA (AP) - Reports say nearly 200 employees have signed up
to take an early retirement incentive from Cobb County, including
Cobb's police chief.
    Early retirement incentives, which end on March 30, have been
offered as a major cost-saving move by the county to slash payroll
as another lean budget year is awaited in 2011.
    County Commission Chairman Sam Olens said Cobb should be able to
maintain a balanced budget ext year due to the success of the early
retirement program. The county estimates that if 200 people take
the buyout as expected, the savings to the county would total about
$10 million per year.
    Authorities say the county, meanwhile, will have to refill
police and fire positions that are vacated because those are public
safety positions.
    The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, in reporting on the
retirements Sunday, said Cobb Police Chief George Hatfield decided
to take early retirement after 38 years with the county.
   
TOYOTA-INVESTOR IRE
    Toyota shareholders sue over fallen stock price
   
    MIAMI (AP) - Some Toyota shareholders are upset over a sudden
drop in the Japanese automaker's stock price and they are filing
lawsuits claiming company executives deliberately misled investors
and the public about the depth of accelerator problems.
    At least three proposed class-action lawsuits filed by Toyota
investors say the company gave false initial assurances that the
sudden acceleration problem was a simple matter of floor mats
trapping gas pedals. The investors say that artificially inflated
Toyota's stock price.
    The shareholder cases are part of an avalanche of potentially
costly lawsuits against Toyota over the acceleration issue. Other
cases include those filed by crash victims and those brought by
Toyota owners contending their vehicles have lost value since
vehicles were recalled.
   
ING GEORGIA MARATHON
    16,000 runners hit Atlanta streets in fourth ING Georgia
Marathon & Half Marathon.
   
    ATLANTA (AP) - Some 16,000 runners hit the streets of downtown
Atlanta on Sunday to compete in the fourth annual ING Georgia
Marathon & Half marathon.
    The competition closed some of the city's major avenues and
started and ended at Centennial Olympic Park ona route that took
marathon runners to Decatur to the east.
    Organizers say the more than 16,000 participants was up from
about 12,000 runners who took part in ING races in 2009. Sunday's
racing also required some 2,500 volunteers.

(Copyright ©2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)