Budget Hearings begin today at the state Capitol

It’s the time when State Department heads go before lawmakers and justify their spending.

Georgia is 2.2 billion dollars short and Governor Perdue’s proposal includes at least a 10 percent cut for most agencies. Most of the state’s money goes toward education and health care.

Senate Appropriations committee chair Jack Hill warned his colleagues that budget negotiations will be tough this year.

“This is a very sobering process, but still intermediate and long range we’re going to be O.K.,” Hill says. “Georgia is going to recover; we just don’t know where the bottom is.”

Hill warned that the state has to be conservative in its spending pattern until a recovery is in progress. Budget hearings will run through Friday and lawmakers will continue the legislative session on Monday.

-By Susanna Capelouto

Powered by Podbean.com