 Shafer was the only elected leader of the caucus who maintained a cordial relationship with Cagle in his reduced state, setting the stage for him to reunify the Caucus and end the infighting two years later.Best known as an advocate for reforming the state's budget procedures, Shafer has introduced legislation mandating zero-based budgeting, requiring budgetary surpluses to be returned to the taxpayers and requiring periodic sunset review of certain state agencies.Shafer served as floor leader to Governor Sonny Perdue but voted against Perdue's proposed 2003 tax increase.