Say what? The quotable news week: Jan. 10-16

ATLANTA – Here is a rundown of the week’s events as told by the people who made the news:

“Georgia is facing one of the biggest budget deficits in its history. … It’s going to take some tenacity and hard work, but I am confident my colleagues and I will bring Georgia out of this budget crisis and into a new promising future.”

– State Sen. Curt Thompson, D-Norcross, after he was appointed by Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle to serve on the Senate Appropriations Committee

“Our current system only incentivizes the degree, not the degree to which students learn,” said Governor Perdue. “We must encourage our best and brightest to enter the teaching profession and must reward effective teachers in order to retain them in Georgia classrooms. Student achievement must be our driving force, and our compensation model must reflect that focus.”

– Gov. Sonny Perdue in announcing his plan to transform teacher pay

“The Democrats’ list of dishonest backroom deals has another entry today, the Big Labor Buyoff. Have they no shame? This Big Labor Buyoff says that union workers don’t have to pay the same costs and play by the same rules as the rest of the country. It’s another sleazy deal from the Democrats that will be roundly rejected by the American people. The dirty politics of the Democrats’ partnership with unions is no secret, but this buyoff, if true, is as bad as they come. It’s little more than hush money paid to keep union bosses happy with a takeover of health care the American people don’t want.”

– U.S. Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., “in response to reports that Democrats may exempt union workers from a tax on health insurance plans”

“These 40 convictions show the results that are achieved when federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies work together to stem the flow of poison into this country and to stop the cross-border flow of cash to violent, greed-driven cartel members in Mexico.”

– Acting United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates on “Operation Shooting Star,” which resulted in three dozen prison sentences

Editor’s note: Unless otherwise noted, these quotes are compiled from news releases or official statements.