MARIETTA - Of the 14 state representatives and five state senators that represent Cobb County, only one came out in full support of Gov. Sonny Perdue's proposal to create a cabinet form of government.

Perdue has proposed having the heads of the state's agricultural, insurance, education and labor departments appointed by the governor, subject to Senate confirmation. Currently, the public elects the leaders of these departments.

Perdue believes the proposal, which was introduced as S.B. 393 through his floor leader, Sen. Bill Heath, would ensure that agency heads are focused on good policy, and not bogged down with the politics of running for re-election.

Yet only Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers, a Republican representing Cobb and Cherokee counties, and a co-sponsor of the bill, said he supported the proposal.

Opposing are state Reps. Earl Ehrhart (R-Powder Springs), Judy Manning (R-Marietta), Don Parsons (R-east Cobb), Pat Dooley (D-Marietta), Rob Teilhet (D-Smyrna), Don Wix (D-Mableton), Matt Dollar (R-east Cobb), Sheila Jones (D-South Cobb and state Sens. Judson Hill (R-east Cobb) and Steve Thompson (D-Powder Springs).

Sen. John Wiles (R-Kennesaw) and state Reps. Sharon Cooper (R-east Cobb), Alisha Thomas Morgan (D-Austell), Ed Setzler (R-Acworth) and Rich Golick (R-Smyrna) say haven't yet made up their minds on whether to support the legislation.

Rogers said he supports the proposal because it leaves the decision up to the voters.

"The proposal by the governor is a ballot question. I support the right of the voters to determine which, if any, of these positions become part of the executive cabinet," Rogers said.

Yet Manning said it would create "czars" like in the Obama administration.

"I think any time you take an elected position to an appointed position, the people lose their voice," Manning said. "We've talked about Obama and his czars, and that would just be doing the same kind of thing to the citizens of Georgia by letting the governor have czars because they're bound to be political appointments. They just will be. They may not mean to be, but they will be."

Ehrhart said it's "not good policy" because it "places more power in the executive branch and dilutes the franchise of the voters."

Dooley and Jones said they oppose taking away the rights of the voters to elect those officers.

"I want those constitutional officers to be accountable to the voters," Dooley said.

Parsons said he understands efficiency in government is important to Perdue, and that there are efficiencies as well as accountability to be gained by allowing the governor to appoint those positions.

"However, the office of the Governor of Georgia is one the most powerful in the nation already. I believe the voters should continue to choose who runs those departments through the election process," Parsons said.

Then there are Cobb lawmakers such as Teilhet, Thompson and Wix who believe one or more of the four positions should be appointed, but not all four of them.

For instance, Teilhet believes the state school superintendent and insurance commissioner should be appointed. For the last 20 years, the relationship between the state school board and state school superintendent has been dysfunctional, Teilhet said, because the state board is appointed by the governor and charged with carrying out the education policy of the state, while the state school superintendent is elected by the people.

As for the insurance commissioner, Teilhet said that position "seems to be almost completely beholden to that industry." The insurance commissioner collects most of his money from the insurance companies, he said.

"So for someone whose primary job is regulation of those same industries, boy that's a tough situation," Teilhet said.

The commissioners for agriculture and labor serve a broader set of functions, Teilhet said, which is why he's not sure they should be appointed.

As for Cooper, Wiles, Golick, Morgan and Setzler, they're still trying to decide whether to support Perdue's legislation.

"If you have these people who are elected, but they can't work with the governor, that can bring any progress to a screeching halt," Cooper said. "But here again it looks like you're taking away the ability of people to choose."

Cooper doesn't believe the matter will come up for a vote this year anyway because it has too much opposition.

Golick also spoke of the benefits of not having to run for election.

"There's also the fact that ultimately this matter would be decided by the people in November," Golick said. "That said, I'm aware of the fact that we have one of the most powerful governorships in the nation, and I'm not sure that concentrating more power in the executive branch is the proper path. Public officials are most responsive to the citizenry when they are held accountable at the ballot box, and that reality cannot be ignored. I look forward to receiving constituent feedback on this issue."

State Sen. Doug Stoner (D-Smyrna) and state Rep. Bobby Franklin (R-east Cobb) did not return calls by press time.

The agencies that would be appointed by the governor under this proposal have almost 6,000 employees and budgets of more than $7.5 billion. If approved by the General Assembly, the constitutional amendment would be on the ballot this November for approval by the voters. Those currently running for these offices would be able to serve a full term upon winning, and the positions would be appointed by the governor that is elected in 2014, according to the governor's office.

Hill said the legislation was well meaning, even though he opposed it.