ATLANTA (April 1, 2009) – Today the Georgia Senate passed a balanced budget for Fiscal Year 2010 budget which accomplishes several major revisions to the Governor’s original proposed budget.
“When the temptation for most governments is to raise revenues through tax increases, Georgia has chosen to reduce our budget by $2 billion. This budget passed by the Senate today recognizes the very difficult economic times we’re in and is good government. We reduced the size of government making it more self-sufficient rather than relying on taxpayers to foot the bill,” said Rogers.
The Senate’s version of the budget provides funds to fully restore the 10% cut to Hospital Medicaid provider rates and the 6% cut to other providers who serve the Medicaid population, covers the $140 million deficit faced by Medicaid in FY10, and provides $2 million in funds for community health centers.
In terms of education, restores funds for School Nurses to $29.1 million, restores $7.2 million for the salaries increases for National Board Certification for Teachers, adds $6 million for special needs scholarships, and adds $1.8 million for charter systems and $1.1 million to provide an additional 2,000 courses for Georgia Virtual Schools. Public safety’s budget adds $6 million in additional funds for new beds for a private prison and restores funds for the Regional Crime Labs in Moultrie, Columbus and Summerville.
Areas of lager cuts and self-sufficiency include:
• The Department of Community Affairs and its attached agencies took a 48% cut
• Support agencies such as Judicial Council took a 25% cut and Dept. of Administrative Services
• took a 57% cut
• In Transportation, State General Funds were cut 64%, cuts include asking the Department to sell
• at least three state airplanes, replacing airport assistance projects with stimulus funds, and
• shifting funds away from administration and into projects
• Institute of Continuing Judicial Education, judges pay for training (Savings: $1 million)
• State Purchasing, use P-Card and other revenue (Savings: $3.3 million)
• Georgia Bureau of Investigation, budget asks them to charge more for criminal background
• checks provided to private companies (Savings: $1,988,000)
Sen. Chip Rogers serves as Senate Majority Leader. He represents the 21st Senate District which includes portions of Cherokee and Cobb counties. He can be reached at his office at 404.463.1378 or by email at chip.rogers@senate.ga.gov.
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release:
April 1, 2009
For Information Contact:
Raegan Weber,Director
Matt Colvin Communications Associate
matthew.colvin@senate.ga.gov
404.656.0028