ATLANTA — The state Senate passed a $37.5 billion midyear budget Thursday that increases spending by $5 billion, including $2 billion from an unprecedented $16 billion surplus.
The legislation, which sailed through the Senate 54-1, represents a 9.4% increase over the fiscal 2024 budget the General Assembly passed last spring.
kAm%96 $6?2E6 28C665 H:E9 hdT @7 E96 DA6?5:?8 C64@>>6?52E:@?D v@G] qC:2? z6>A >256 H96? 96 AC6D6?E65 E96 >:5J62C 3F586E =2DE >@?E9[ :?4=F5:?8 S`[___ @?6E:>6 A2J DFAA=6>6?ED 7@C AF3=:4 D49@@= E62496CD 2?5 DE2E6 2?5 &?:G6CD:EJ $JDE6> @7 v6@C8:2 6>A=@J66D]k^Am
kAm|@C6 E92? dgT @7 E96 7F?5:?8 8@6D E@ 65F42E:@? 2?5 >@C6 E92? aaT E@ 962=E9 42C6[ $6?2E6 pAAC@AC:2E:@?D r@>>:EE66 r92:C>2? q=2<6 %:==6CJ E@=5 9:D $6?2E6 4@==628F6D 367@C6 %9FCD52J’D G@E6]k^Am
kAms6DA:E6 E96 >2DD:G6 3F586E C6D6CG6D[ E96 8@G6C?@C 2?5 =68:D=2EFC6 C6>2:? 4@>>:EE65 E@ 2 4@?D6CG2E:G6 2AAC@249 E@ DA6?5:?8[ D2:5 %:==6CJ[ #’:52=:2]k^Am
kAm“(6 42?’E :?G6DE 😕 6G6CJ 8@@5 :562 E92E 2AAC@2496D @FC 56D<D[” 96 D2:5] “(6 92G6 ?@E DE2CE65 ?6H A@D:E:@?D] (6’G6 2=D@ EC:65 ?@E E@ DE2CE ?6H AC@8C2>D]”k^Am
kAmw@H6G6C[ E96 DFCA=FD H:== 2==@H E96 DE2E6 E@ 7F?5 42A:E2= AC@;64ED 7C@> 42D9 E9:D J62C C2E96C E92? E96 FDF2= AC24E:46 @7 3@CC@H:?8 E96 >@?6J] %:==6CJ D2:5 E92E 2AAC@249 H:== D2G6 v6@C8:2 E2IA2J6CD]k^Am
kAm“(6’C6 FD:?8 @FC D2G:?8D E@ 2G@:5 E96 C64@C59:89 :?7=2E:@? H6 D66 😕 E96 3@?5 >2C<6E[” %:==6CJ D2:5]k^Am
kAm%96 =:DE @7 3F:=5:?8 AC@;64ED 😕 E96 >:5J62C 3F586E :?4=F56D Scd_ >:==:@? 7@C 2 ?6H DE2E6 AC:D@? 😕 (2D9:?8E@? r@F?EJ[ S`fg >:==:@? 7@C 2 ?6H 56?E2= D49@@= 2E v6@C8:2 $@FE96C? &?:G6CD:EJ’D pC>DEC@?8 42>AFD 😕 $2G2??29[ 2?5 Sd_ >:==:@? 7@C 2 ?6H >65:42= D49@@= 2E E96 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 v6@C8:2 😕 pE96?D]k^Am
kAmp7E6C E96 $6?2E6 A2DD65 E96 >:5J62C 3F586E[ E96 w@FD6 5:D28C665 H:E9 E96 $6?2E6 G6CD:@? @7 E96 DA6?5:?8 A=2?[ 2?5 E96 EH@…
Read the full article here