PolitiFact Georgia Staff Writer
Eric Stirgus, Georgia PolitiFact reporter, has covered local government and politics for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution since November 2001. He was most recently assigned to Atlanta City Hall, where he covered the last two years of Mayor Shirley Franklin’s administration, the City Council and the frenetic 2009 mayor’s race. Eric is originally from Brooklyn, N.Y. and has worked at the New York Daily News, New York Post and St. Petersburg Times. He is a 1994 graduate of New York University.
The latest Truth-O-Meter items from Eric Stirgus
"Right now, we have the lowest gas tax of anywhere in the country."
The recent process of awarding $3 billion worth of airport vending contracts was the "most open and transparent procurement process in the city’s history."
"When we took office, let me remind you, there was virtually no international pressure on Iran."
Crime rises in communities with casinos.
Each U.S. House member who voted to overhaul Social Security in 1983 was re-elected.
"The United States imprisons more than any nation in the world."
The fastest-rising expense in the U.S. Defense Department is health care.
The average Atlanta resident "spends an extra $924 each year in additional gasoline and wasted time."
"We don’t allow filming inside of the City Hall unless there is a specific reason."
"The ACLU has filed a suit to end prayer from the military completely."
Recent stories from Eric Stirgus
Transportation tax takes turn on Truth-O-MeterCurious about that upcoming referendum on whether to raise taxes to overhaul transportation across metro Atlanta? The Truth-O-Meter has your back. Those for and against the one-percent tax increase say that the facts and figures are on their side. Sometimes they are. Other times they aren’t. Your PolitiFact Georgia scribes have completed seven fact checks on the referendum. With 10 weeks to go before the July 31 votes, we have plenty more in store. Here’s how both sides have fared so far.
Did these marijuana claims go up in smoke?The Truth-O-Meter takes a look back at some recent fact-checks concerning marijuana. Our partners at PolitiFact Georgia rounded up a few of the more interesting PolitiFact items.
Did these marijuana claims go up in smoke?The Truth-O-Meter takes a look back at some recent fact-checks concerning marijuana.
A history of taxing claimsIs your head spinning from filing your income taxes? Over the last year, we've fact-checked some dizzying claims about the tax system, who pays more and less. Here are some goodies that have been crunched by the Truth-O-Meter.
Is 'pink slime' safe?Texas Gov. Rick Perry recently defended a form of ground beef that critics malign as "pink slime." In addition to calling the product "nutritious" and "affordable," the Texas governor described it as safe. Is that right?
Checking pro-Romney group's new campaign adYou’ve heard the bashing. Now see the commercial. On Wednesday, Pro-Mitt Romney super PAC Restore Our Future was slated to unveil ads in Georgia arguing that rival Newt Gingrich is too risky a pick for GOP presidential nominee. Primary day is March 6. We’ve seen it, and it has all the hallmarks of your typical attack ad. Unflattering images, menacing music, and dire claims. Claims that PolitiFact National and other fact-checking outlets happen to have vetted.
Checking Romney's campaign speech in AtlantaSuper Tuesday is only one month away, which means it’s showtime in Georgia for the GOP’s presidential candidates. GOP candidate Mitt Romney stumped at a small Atlanta business Wednesday to persuade Georgians to choose him in the March 6 primary. PolitiFact Georgia was there, too. And we happened to bring our Truth-O-Meter.
PolitiFact Georgia reviews Gingrich's classics(Editor’s note: With the Iowa caucuses only two months away, PolitiFact Georgia will dedicate this week to summaries of key fact-checks on the leading GOP candidates as well as President Barack Obama’s performance on his 500 campaign promises. Today we look at Newt Gingrich.) Want to comment on our findings? Visit us on Facebook.
The Best of Texas Gov. Rick PerryEditor’s note: With the Iowa caucuses only two months away, PolitiFact Georgia will dedicate this week to summaries of key fact-checks on the leading GOP candidates as well as President Barack Obama’s performance on his 500 campaign promises. Today we look at Texas Gov. Rick Perry. Want to comment on our findings? Visit us on Facebook. "We cut property taxes by one-third in the state of Texas while I’ve been governor." On the campaign trail in New Hampshire Oct. 1, Perry repeated this common battle cry in his campaign for the Republican nomination. He’s referring to House Bill 1, which he signed into law in 2006. It’s intended to reduce property taxes paid to local school districts. The overhaul effectively lowered the maintenance and operation segment of the school tax, from $1.50 to $1.00 per $100 of assessed property value, or about one-third. But it didn’t translate to 33 percent lower bills for taxpayers. If you look at total property tax revenue, Texans paid about the same amount in 2010 as they did in 2005. If you adjust for inflation, he's closer (it's about 9 percent less), but it's still far short of one-third. We find his claim Mostly False.
Truth-O-Meter takes a bite out of politics. And pit bulls.Thank goodness the Truth-O-Meter’s a polymath. PolitiFact Georgia relied on its encyclopedic knowledge to tackle subjects as utterly unrelated as pit bull aggression and health care reform. Rulings varied. La Raza, a Hispanic issues advocacy group, earned a True for its claim on the percent of Latino children on Medicaid. U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey earned a False for his claims that a federal health care board can kill you. A DeKalb County commissioner earned a Mostly True on those controversial canines. Former Atlanta Public Schools Superintendent Beverly Hall earned a False. Curious? Here are shortened versions of our extensive fact-checks. To comment on our findings, hit the "like" button on our Facebook page. You can also follow us on Twitter.
We want to hear your suggestions and comments. Email the Georgia Truth-O-Meter with feedback and with claims you'd like to see checked. If you send us a comment, we'll assume you don't mind us publishing it unless you tell us otherwise.
