Gov. Deal ‘redirects’ National Infantry Museum funding in state budget

Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal redirected $100,000 in state funding designated for a Global War on Terror memorial at the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center in Columbus earlier this week when he signed next year’s budget.

The governor’s actions come on the heels of nearly $8 million in Columbus State University construction funding being yanked out of the budget in the closing days of the most recent General Assembly session.

Republican state Rep. Richard Smith of Columbus said he has been told by the governor and the chief of staff for Speaker of the House David Ralston that the funding for Columbus’ projects is being withheld because of Republican Sen. Josh McKoon. The three-term Columbus state senator has been a leading and vocal proponent of ethics reform, “religious liberty” legislation and other matters that have put him at odds with leading Republicans.

The budget that recently passed the General Assembly included $100,000 for the infantry museum memorial. Smith said at the time he was told the governor, who has line-item veto authority, would remove that money from the budget. On Monday, Deal directed the state Department of Economic Development to convert the money to other uses within the department.

“It was part of an $11.7 million package that included other projects so he could not veto it,” Smith said. “But he has directed it for other uses.”

McKoon, who represents a district that runs from north Columbus into Troup County, pointed out the museum was not in his district.

“The National Infantry Museum is in Sen. (Ed) Harbison’s Senate district and Rep. (Calvin) Smyre’s House district,” McKoon said. “No. 1, I would be disappointed if Gov. Deal tried to punish either of those legislators by harming the memory of the infantry men and women who served our country. No. 2, if Rep. Smith had information that the governor was intending to politicize the National Infantry Museum, I am surprised he did not do anything about it.”

Smith said the infantry museum project is more important than district lines.

“It may not be in his district and it’s not in my district, either, but it is a part of Columbus,” Smith said. “It is a vital part of Columbus because of our emphasis on the military and economic development.”

The National Infantry Museum issued the following statement: “The money really hasn’t gone away. The governor has given the Department of Economic Development authority to spend it on its highest priority tourism projects. We will continue to work with state tourism officials to convince them that the planned Global War on Terrorism memorial and other projects at the National Infantry Museum are worthy of state support.”

But for now it is gone and Smith has contended it is part of a political message aimed at McKoon. During the most recent General Assembly session, McKoon introduced legislation to term limit the speaker of the House and almost immediately pulled it at the urging of Senate leadership. He also introduced a bill that would have taken away the governor’s power to appoint a U.S. senator in the event of a midterm vacancy.

In March, Smith outlined two high-level meetings in which he was told that McKoon’s behavior was an issue and it was going to cost the Columbus region funding.

The first meeting happened in January, Smith said. The leadership team of the National Infantry Museum met with Deal to ask the state to put up $2 million toward the construction of a memorial for the Global War on Terror.

“The governor and his chief of staff made it clear they were not giving any money and the reason was Sen. McKoon,” Smith said.

Toward the end of the legislative session, Ralston’s Chief of Staff Spiro Amburn came to Smith’s legislative office and told him the Columbus State University funding was coming out of the budget, Smith said. The reason given was McKoon’s actions in the General Assembly, Smith said.

Smith said he never told McKoon of either meeting.

“If Richard Smith’s story is true, I will never understand why he did not contact me if he was interested in seeing these items funded,” McKoon said. “Furthermore if it is true, I would hope the concern the newspaper has demonstrated in writing more stories on this issue than any other in the six years I have served in the Legislature would be directed at people who see their stewardship of tax dollars as an opportunity to settle political scores rather than to chide elected officials who stand on matters of principle.”

The opportunity to regain the funding exists next year, Smith said. McKoon has said all along that the CSU funding was not needed in the new budget and the projects on the main campus will move along as scheduled in a year.

Columbus leaders need to bring the governor here and begin a healing process, but there also needs to be other proactive moves, Smith said.

“If the governor and Josh have an issue, then maybe Josh needs to set up that meeting,” Smith said. “Columbus State and the infantry museum are too important to let this drag on. This needs to be nipped in the bud.”

This story was originally published May 4, 2016 at 4:20 PM with the headline "Gov. Deal ‘redirects’ National Infantry Museum funding in state budget."