"The budget is in bad shape," said Rep. David Ralston (R - Blue Ridge), in reference to the many cutbacks that will have to made during this year's legislative session. Tax collections for the first half of the fiscal year were down $1.1 billion. Part of this has been offset by $1.4 billion dollars of stimulus money and state reserves. However stimulus money is expected to decline after the beginning of the next fiscal year in July. Lt. Governor Casey Cagle will introduce a committee of seven executives from Georgia companies and accounting firms to make recommendations on state government restructuring before the session is over in February. This has been reported in the
Rome News - Tribune.
"In the General Assembly, so-called study committees are often created to research issues between legislative sessions, usually made up exclusively of lawmakers and offering their recommendations either jointly to the House and Senate or to one of the chambers. However, no chamber in recent memory has called on a committee entirely of outsiders to research during a legislative session and report back before adjournment."
Ethics, transportation, education and the banking crisis in Georgia will also be hot issues.
This is also an election year.
As they say, "Get the popcorn ready!"
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