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Zamarripa to bow out of politics
Outspoken state senator will pursue business opportunities

By SONJI JACOBS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 04/05/06

State Sen. Sam Zamarripa, an Atlanta Democrat who became the first Hispanic elected to the Georgia Senate in 2002, announced Wednesday that he will not seek re-election this year.

Zamarripa said that he has decided to bow out of politics for the time being to focus his energy on spurring economic development — particularly global business opportunities — in Atlanta.

"My feeling was that the greatest opportunity for me was to pursue things I am very good at related to economic development, and to do that out of the Senate," Zamarripa said.

Zamarripa said that during his four years as a state senator, he was most pleased with his work on the Senate Economic Development Committee. There, he sponsored and passed legislation that encourages the People's Republic of China to invest in Georgia and build strong business relationships that will create jobs and encourage economic growth in the state. The lawmaker said he plans to continue his work in that area both within his private business and as a volunteer for the city and state.

Zamarripa, who is of Mexican descent, also made a name for himself as a strong advocate for Atlanta's Hispanic community. He was a key player in this year's heated debate over illegal immigration and repeatedly expressed his opposition to Senate Bill 529.

That measure, which awaits Gov. Sonny Perdue's signature to become law, seeks to crack down on illegal immigrants and those who hire them, mostly by verifying the legal status of adults applying for taxpayer-provided services in Georgia and by removing tax breaks for anyone who employs undocumented workers.

Zamarripa worked with the bill's sponsor, Sen. Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock), to help craft the bill's language. He voted against the measure, saying that he believes the federal government ought to handle illegal immigration issues.

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