Education comprises more than 50 percent of state spending; therefore, if lawmakers refuse to add new revenues to the state budget, the likely consequences for years to come are: larger class sizes in K-12 schools, less school days for some
The governor’s proposed state budget cuts for fiscal year 2011 total $116.5 million, or 18.2 percent, of the Department of Human Services’ (DHS) budget. Download the PDF.
The Amended Fiscal Year 2010 budget should contain the first state reimbursements to certain schools and counties for property tax exemptions provided in the Forest Land Protection Act of 2008. Without these funds, several rural school districts face another loss
The state budget deficit is due to a lack of revenues. State revenue collections, as a percentage of personal income, have declined dramatically over the past 10 years. As Georgians’ incomes have increased, the amount the state collects has not
Georgia’s budget crisis is not due to funding the wrong priorities or waste and inefficiency. Georgia has a revenue problem. To avoid devastating cuts to such vital government services as education, healthcare, and public safety, Georgia needs a balanced approach
Using a more balanced approach to budgeting would reduce the cuts, such as budgeting additional revenues through increasing the cigarette tax,enacting a new top income tax rate, improving tax collections, suspending or ending tax breaks, increasing fees, and closing corporate
Over the next three to five years, the state needs between $1.5 billion and $2 billion in surpluses to rebuild the Revenue Shortfall Reserve (RSR). In order to do so, lawmakers should take a balanced approach to state budgeting that
The governor’s proposed Department of Human Services (DHS) budget cut 138 eligibility workers in FY 2011. Eligibility workers process applications for Georgians in need of “safety net” supports. Georgia should use new federal funds to increase the number of eligibility
This legislative session gives us the opportunity to reset the table, however. Join us for our annual policy conference to get data and insights on what’s on the table this year. Let’s make sure every Georgian has a seat, let’s make sure every Georgian has a plate. Let’s build an economy that serves us all.
Submit public comment on Georgia’s Pathways to Coverage program extension by February 20th – just complete this easily fillable form:
