Budget and Taxes Library Reports Wesley Tharpe House Transportation Package Takes Promising Turn March 13, 2015 / January 17, 2020 by Wesley Tharpe House Bill 170 includes a number of provisions designed to generate additional revenues for improving Georgia’s gridlocked transportation system. The package that passed the Georgia House of Representatives on March 5, 2015 reforms Georgia’s gas tax, alters the way local governments apply sales taxes to motor fuel, creates new fees for alternative vehicles and eliminates […] Read more » State Taxes
Author Budget and Taxes Library Policy Areas Reports Wesley Tharpe “New Markets” Tax Credit is a Bad Investment March 9, 2015 / January 17, 2020 by Wesley Tharpe Bill Analysis: House Bill 439 (LC 37 1964ERS) House Bill 439 proposes a costly new tax break called the Georgia New Markets credit that would drain state coffers when lawmakers already struggle to find enough revenue for transportation, education and other vital needs. The goal of the credit is to increase private investment in low-income […] Read more » State Taxes
Cash and Safety Net Melissa Johnson Reports Worker Justice Increase Child Care Assistance to Strengthen Georgia’s Families, Economy March 5, 2015 / January 17, 2020 by Melissa Johnson Many low-income parents raising young children in Georgia are not able to afford the high cost of quality child care. Going without such care can prevent them from keeping jobs, focusing at work, and getting a job if they do not have one. Georgia offers a child care assistance program to help families afford child care, but […] Read more » child care
Author Claire Suggs K-12 Education Library Reports Education Savings Accounts Carry Big Sticker Shock February 19, 2015 / January 15, 2020 by Claire Suggs Georgia lawmakers are considering legislation to allow parents to take state dollars for private educational use. House Bill 243 proposes to create Education Savings Accounts (ESA) to set public money aside for educational services, including private school tuition, textbooks and curriculum materials, private tutoring and contributions to a college savings plan. Kindergarten and first grade […] Read more » K-12
Author Budget and Taxes Health Justice Library Policy Areas Reports Timothy Sweeney Overview: 2016 Fiscal Year for Department of Community Health February 10, 2015 / January 15, 2020 by Timothy Sweeney The governor’s proposed 2016 budget directs $2.45 billion to the Department of Community Health, not including money for agencies attached for administrative purposes. That is a $27.8 million decline from the 2015 budget approved last spring. The department operates nine programs, although more than 96 percent of general fund spending, or about $2.36 billion, is […] Read more » State Budget
Author Budget and Taxes Library Policy Areas Reports Wesley Tharpe Tax Plan Needs Course Correction February 4, 2015 / January 16, 2020 by Wesley Tharpe House Transportation Package Leaves out New Revenues, Could Harm Key Services Georgia needs a sustained commitment to transportation that includes new revenues or it will struggle to thrive in the 21st century. A funding proposal unveiled by House legislative leaders in January 2015 includes some reasonable reforms of Georgia’s gas tax system but could cause […] Read more » State Taxes
Author Budget and Taxes Cash and Safety Net Library Melissa Johnson Policy Areas Reports Overview of Georgia’s 2016 Fiscal Year Human Services Budget February 3, 2015 / January 16, 2020 by Melissa Johnson More for Child Welfare, but Other Services Still in Need The governor’s $547 million human services budget proposed for the 2016 fiscal year makes strategic additions to help protect Georgia’s children and adults, but falls short of meeting the many different needs of its growing population. The spending plan promises to take a solid step […] Read more » State Budget
Author Budget and Taxes Claire Suggs K-12 Education Library Policy Areas Reports Overview: 2016 Fiscal Year Budget for K-12 Education January 28, 2015 / January 16, 2020 by Claire Suggs Still About $470 Million Short of Funding Formula The $8.49 billion for public schools in Governor Deal’s budget proposal shrinks some of the austerity cut in state K-12 funding. Districts that still furlough teachers and cut instructional days should get enough money to address both. However school districts will receive between $450 and $500 million […] Read more » K-12 State Budget
Alan Essig Author Budget and Taxes Library Policy Areas Reports Overview of Georgia’s 2016 Fiscal Year Budget January 21, 2015 / January 16, 2020 by Alan Essig The $21.8 billion budget proposed for Georgia’s 2016 fiscal year projects revenue growth of about 4.2 percent in the state’s main account for services such as education and public safety, the general fund. That’s $834 million more than the recently revised 2015 revenue estimate. State revenues are above pre-recession levels, but the proposed budget still […] Read more » State Budget
Author Claire Suggs K-12 Education Library Policy Areas Reports Money Matters: Increased Education Investment Linked to Higher Achievement December 16, 2014 / January 15, 2020 by Claire Suggs Money invested in student learning matters. This is the conclusion most researchers reach after examining the relationship between funding and student achievement. It means Georgia is headed in the wrong direction as ongoing austerity cuts slashed $8.3 billion from state public school funding since 2003. Students across the state suffer the effects of these cuts, […] Read more » K-12
