Writers may be limited to one letter every 30 days. Open letters, letters to third parties and poetry are not considered. Letters from people living outside the Chronicle's circulation area usually are not considered. The new governor is taking aim at predatory mortgage lending practices as part of an unorthodox consumer-protection agenda. State officials say poorly regulated finance companies are preying on debt-strapped homeowners by making debt consolidation loans at annual interest rates of 40 percent or more.
Barnes has an up-close appreciation of the problem.
It's uncertain whether the spending request will be backed up with new legislation to cap interest rates or provide better oversight of the industry. With his administration just two weeks old, Barnes is signaling unusual willingness to pick fights with monied Capitol interests. One of his major campaign promises was making health-maintenance organizations, or HMO's, offer members complete choice of physicians. He also has indicated support for a proposal by Rep. Tom Bordeaux, D-Savannah, that would let patients injured when their HMO refuses to authorize medical treatment sue the insurer for malpractice. The powerful insurance industry is in a collective sweat over the governor's plan to hire consumer advocate lawyers to represent little-guy policyholders when insurance companies ask the state for rate hikes.