Author Fact Sheets Library Wesley Tharpe Worker Justice Georgia Making Progress, Still a Steep Hill to Climb April 24, 2013 / January 17, 2020 by Wesley Tharpe Georgia’s economy is adding jobs at a strong pace compared to other states, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Only California and Florida added more jobs than Georgia in March and the state’s unemployment rate is now at its lowest point since January 2009. But despite its promising […] Read more »
Author Blog Claire Suggs K-12 Education Georgia Omits Critical Part of Common Core: Educators April 19, 2013 / January 16, 2020 by Claire Suggs | 2 Comments on Georgia Omits Critical Part of Common Core: Educators Georgia is rolling out ambitious new standards for student performance in K-12, but is skimping on needed comprehensive financial support that would clear a path for success. The Common Core Georgia Performance Standards are rigorous goals that outline what students should know and be able to do in math and English as they progress through […] Read more »
Author Blog Cash and Safety Net Melissa Johnson Georgia Shouldn’t Shift Aid to Families to Nonprofits April 18, 2013 / January 16, 2020 by Melissa Johnson | 2 Comments on Georgia Shouldn’t Shift Aid to Families to Nonprofits To expand Georgia’s economy, the state should reassess the way it allocates resources. For the last few years, Georgia cut state spending on supports for low-income families and increasingly relied on other sources to provide services – which potentially reduced the total services available to these families, as new data shows. To give low-income families […] Read more »
Author Blog Health Justice Timothy Sweeney Medicaid Funding Shortfall Still Looms April 8, 2013 / January 17, 2020 by Timothy Sweeney The General Assembly renewed the state’s hospital provider fee to fund Medicaid in the early weeks of the 2013 session.The fee was set to expire this June. By renewing the fee four more years, Georgia’s lawmakers continue a vitally import source of revenue. The fee raises money that will pay doctors, hospitals and other providers […] Read more »
Author Blog Budget and Taxes Wesley Tharpe Georgia Expands Use of Subsidies in New Budget April 8, 2013 / January 15, 2020 by Wesley Tharpe | 1 Comment on Georgia Expands Use of Subsidies in New Budget The 2014 budget passed by the General Assembly keeps most of Georgia’s economic development spending unchanged from Gov. Nathan Deal’s recommendation, except for an extra $5 million for business subsidies in rural parts of the state. Georgia is set to spend nearly $104 million in the upcoming budget year on development-oriented programs through the Departments […] Read more » State Taxes
Author Blog Cash and Safety Net Melissa Johnson State Budget Leaves Needs of Many Unmet April 8, 2013 / January 15, 2020 by Melissa Johnson The Georgia Legislature approved a 2014 budget March 28 for the Department of Human Services that is an improvement over the governor’s 2014 budget proposal, but still leaves the needs of large numbers of Georgians unmet. The budget sustains the 20 percent cut to the department’s resources since 2009. It does not add child and […] Read more »
Author Blog Budget and Taxes Wesley Tharpe If Tax Money is used for Venture Capital, “Invest Georgia” is the Right Way April 2, 2013 / January 15, 2020 by Wesley Tharpe Although reasonable people can disagree about whether supporting private companies is a proper role for the state, a new economic development program called “Invest Georgia” is an example of how the state policymaking process should work. The program is designed to assist Georgia-based startup companies gain traction. It will become law if the governor signs […] Read more » State Taxes
Alan Essig Author Blog Budget and Taxes GBPI Shapes the Conversation April 2, 2013 / January 15, 2020 by Alan Essig When the General Assembly is in session we find extra energy to make sure GBPI policy analysis reaches media outlets throughout Georgia. Our efforts made an impact on public debate during the 2013 session. Our perspectives can be found in about 100 print and broadcast news stories and opinion pieces published since early January 2013. […] Read more » State Budget
Author Blog Claire Suggs K-12 Education Don’t Expand Private School Scholarship Tax Credit Program Until Effectiveness is Proven March 25, 2013 / January 15, 2020 by Claire Suggs Why should Georgia divert more taxpayer money to support private school scholarships when the public has no idea if the state gets a good return on the existing $50 million worth of tax breaks it devotes to the program? That’s a question lawmakers should answer before approving Senate Bill 243, a proposal to raise the […] Read more »
Alan Essig Author Budget and Taxes Library Reports Analysis: Georgia Senate Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 2014 March 22, 2013 / January 15, 2020 by Alan Essig Relatively Minor Differences with Georgia House’s Proposal The Georgia State Senate made relatively minor adjustments to the House of Representatives version of House Bill 106 (HB 106). New in the Senate version are additional funds for the Technical College System, restored from cuts the governor proposes; money for a new economic development program and restored […] Read more » State Budget
