Georgia’s new annual budget signed into law by Gov. Nathan Deal last week marks a positive step forward on education and a few other crucial issues, yet also falls short of addressing some of the state’s most pressing needs. The
Thousands of Georgians are stuck without any affordable options for health insurance because state leaders repeatedly reject billions of dollars meant to pay for coverage. About 240,000 workers, students, veterans and other Georgians make too little to get financial help
Janai Raphael’s job as a college advisor at Maynard Jackson High School in Atlanta often means she plays the role of translator. “The terminology is a challenge. Pell grants, scholarships, subsidized loans, unsubsidized loans. I walk through what each type
Georgia lawmakers created multiple pathways to shift public funds to private schools in recent years. These schemes risk reducing money available to invest in public schools and critical state services including early learning, higher education, and community health. Little is
Georgia lawmakers reached a critical milestone during the 2018 legislative session: They ended 16 years of shortchanging the state’s formula for funding K-12 schools. The General Assembly added $167 million to the 2019 state budget to send school districts across
On the last day of Georgia’s 2018 legislative session, the Senate passed a bill that aims to help more students go to college and complete their degrees. The bill creates a need-based aid program for university system students in Georgia,
The Georgia Budget and Policy Institute is submitting objections this week to a proposed federal rule change that threatens to block access to food assistance for Georgians living in poverty. The comments to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) urge
A fully funded K-12 education formula. Hasty and sweeping tax changes. Georgia’s first foray into need-based financial aid for college students. A harmful anti-immigrant measure left on the cutting room floor. Georgia lawmakers left those legacies from the just-ended 2018
As the 2018 General Assembly nears the closing gavel, Georgia lawmakers are trying to find a path to use public dollars to boost private schools, provide need-based aid for college students and impose rules that target immigrants in counterproductive ways.
The White House proposed a 2019 budget last month that makes steep cuts to one of the strongest lines of defense this country uses to fight hunger: the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The proposal calls for slashing food assistance,
The budget primer outlines the state budget for the year, recognizes substantial changes from the preceding year and provides a clear-eyed view on what lawmakers have prioritized for our state. This year, there will also be a focus on budget trends over the full eight years of Gov. Kemp’s tenure as we prepare for Georgia’s next leaders to take office.
Our budget primer is slated to be published the first day of the fiscal year, July 1. Join us for our virtual town hall to discuss our data, or request a physical copy of the primer to be sent to your address.
Submit public comment on Georgia’s Pathways to Coverage program extension by February 20th – just complete this easily fillable form:
