Daily Report Number 03

January 14, 2004

Governor Sonny Perdue presented his annual State of the State address before a joint session of the House and Senate this evening. This year's address was a little out of the ordinary. First, the Governor requested to appear before members at 8:00 p.m. to allow the address to be broadcast live and in prime time on Georgia Public Broadcasting. Secondly, Governor Perdue decided to combine his budget presentation and State of the State into one address.
Unfortunately, despite the new twists, an old theme prevailed: budget cuts.

Since the 2000 session lawmakers have been steadily tightening the state's purse strings, implementing gradual spending reductions on all state agencies to guard against a softening state economy. The events of 9/11, however, threw Georgia headlong into the midst of a national economic recession. While Georgia's economy has recently begun to show signs of life, private sector growth usually takes several months to translate into increased state revenues.

This reality has led the Governor to order all department heads to slash an additional 5 percent from their FY 2005 budgets. When combined with the 2.5 percent mid-year spending reduction in the FY 2004 amended budget, state department heads have been asked to absorb a total reduction of more than 7 percent from 2004 spending levels, and more than 12 percent since the beginning of FY 2003. This comes at a time when Georgia is growing rapidly, and education and medicaid costs are skyrocketing.

Governor Perdue didn't offer specifics on any of the $800 million in cuts he is recommending in his FY 2005 spending proposal, choosing instead to present each member with a CD ROM containing his full budget recommendations. He did, however, highlight some of the areas with funding increases.

Most notable, Governor Perdue is proposing a $1 billion bond package in the FY 2005 budget which he plans to use to fund economic development and transportation projects throughout Georgia. Among them, the Governor is proposing $10 million for a state-of-the-art biological research building at the University of Georgia, and the first $2 million toward a pledge to build a $45 million world class Nanotechnology Research Center at Georgia Tech. Both buildings figure heavily into Governor Perdue's goal of making Georgia a center for nanotechology research, and a leader in the new nanotech industry.

One item sure to draw much praise and attention is a proposed increase in teacher salary. Last session was the first time in ten years in which the state's teachers were not given a pay increase. With the state caught firmly in the grasp of an economic recession, the Governor's team found it too costly. This year, however, Governor Perdue has called for a 2 percent increase in teacher salary to bring them back on track. Indications are very promising for this proposal since House leaders called for a similar increase in December of last year.

Furthermore, the Governor pledged some $62 million to aid Georgia's poorest school systems, struggling to make ends meet, and $176 million in bonds for school construction and improvements throughout the state.

Also within the realm of education, Governor Perdue threw his support behind using a minimum SAT requirement to determine HOPE Scholarship eligibility. He expressed a belief that tying HOPE to the SAT would inspire students to take more advanced classes and study harder for the exams, thus raising Georgia's average SAT score. Georgia's mean score of 984 ranked last among all states during 2003.

However, many House members are skeptical of tying HOPE to the SAT, expressing a reluctance to take any action which would limit educational opportunities for Georgia's children. They note that more than one-third of rural students, and as many as 2/3 of African Americans could be excluded from HOPE's rolls under the plan. Furthermore, they say, the proposal would drastically affect rural colleges and universities, some of which would lose as many as 3/4 of their HOPE scholars. Finally, they suggest that state government should always strive to expand educational options and opportunities, rather than restrict them.

Children are always at the top of Georgia's priority list, and a few of Governor Perdue's proposals dealt directly with the welfare of Georgia's younger generation entrusted to state care.

The Governor has proposed a restructuring of the Department of Family and Children's Services which would convert 65 of the division's more experienced and able central office workers into social workers to be used by county offices. The Governor feels this would bring more staff as well as more job expertise to the front lines where it is most needed.
He has also proposed an additional $24 million in the FY 2005 budget to increase funding to a Level of Care placement program which attempts to ensure foster children are matched with the services and foster families which can best serve the child's individual needs.
The Governor also showed a willingness to act in a bi-partisan manner for the good of Georgia's children when he joined Lt. Governor Mark Taylor in supporting a tougher child protection law in Georgia. Since being elected to his post, the Lt. Governor has worked to pass legislation which strengthens penalties for parents whose gross negligence results in the injury of their child. Governor Perdue, during the 2003 session, outlined a plan to crack down on parents who manufacture the illegal drug methamphetamines in the presence of minor children. The production of methamphetamine is a dangerous and sometimes explosive process which has resulted in a number of Georgia children who were severely burned and even killed because their parents were manufacturing the drug. The legislative package will also provide protection for media broadcasters who participate in Levi's Call, Georgia's version of the nationwide Amber Alert program. Levi's Call was recently used to save three Gordon County girls from their abductor.

Finally, Governor Perdue announced his intention to propose an amendment to the Georgia Constitution which would allow state money to be payed to religious entities for services rendered to Georgia citizens. Supporters of the amendment say religious organizations are currently providing much needed and highly valued services to thousands of Georgia's seniors, battered women, homeless, addicted and other at-risk groups using state dollars. They worry that a court challenge could put an end to state funding of these worthy programs which are making a difference in the communities they serve. They go on to note that, on this point, Georgia's Constitution is more restrictive than the United States Constitution.
Others worry that by changing the state's constitution, Georgia could open a door which would be a first step in bringing school vouchers to this state. Many in the General Assembly have worked tirelessly to secure funding and implement meaningful reform within Georgia's public school system. Vouchers to allow children to attend private schools with state money, they fear, would undermine Georgia's public school system, and degrade its quality of education. While a large number of House members may support narrowly drawn legislation which would allow the state to continue funding worthy faith-based initiatives, they worry that a wholesale change to Georgia's Constitution is too broad, and could have as many unforseen negative effects as positive ones.

Georgia House of Representatives
Public Information Office

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------