business

Georgia governor signs budget boosting spending, looking to surplus billions to cut taxes in future

Font size+Author:Planet Profile news portalSource:style2024-05-08 10:52:07I want to comment(0)

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is both increasing spending and cutting taxes as state tax re

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is both increasing spending and cutting taxes as state tax revenues decline, saying he is looking to the state’s billions in surplus to allow him to remain on that course.

The Republican governor on Tuesday signed a $36.1 billion budget for the year beginning July 1 that will boost pay for public school teachers and state employees, while spending more on education, health care and mental health.

Including federal money and other funds such as college tuition, the state will spend $66.8 billion overall.

In remarks to reporters at the state Capitol after signing the spending plan, Kemp said this year’s legislative session “offered something for everybody.”

Georgia has $5.4 billion set aside in its rainy day fund, which is filled to its legal limit of 15% of state revenue. Beyond that, it had $10.7 billion in surplus cash collected over three years. Lawmakers approved Kemp’s plan to spend more than $2 billion of the surplus in changes to the current budget, which ends June 30. But that would leave more than $8 billion in reserve.

Related articles
  • Corey Seager hits a 3

    Corey Seager hits a 3

    2024-05-08 10:35

  • More aid is supposed to be entering the Gaza Strip. Why isn’t it helping?

    More aid is supposed to be entering the Gaza Strip. Why isn’t it helping?

    2024-05-08 10:21

  • Trump: Court finding first Americans to sit in judgment of former president

    Trump: Court finding first Americans to sit in judgment of former president

    2024-05-08 09:36

  • Belgium launches probe into suspected Russian interference in upcoming EU elections

    Belgium launches probe into suspected Russian interference in upcoming EU elections

    2024-05-08 09:28

Netizen comments