State’s upcoming budget good for local coffers

cost of educator salaries.

Some $510 million additional dollars were allocated overall this year for education. He added the state also added $16 million for school security measures within that total.

“The decision on how to spend those portion of the funds are left to our local school board,” Kelley said.

He also highlighted another school and community-related effort that will help advance agriculture education locally. The Young Farmers grant saw an additional $150,000 added to the budget, a portion of which Polk School District will use to fill a position locally for a coordinator, who will teach classes and work with the community on agriculture-related issues.

All this while also passing a state income tax decrease, Kelley said. While other states are struggling with teacher walkouts and funding problems in education, Georgia is increasing their spending on education. Kelley said that alone is an achievement worthy of celebration.

“I think it shows what happens when you govern in a fiscally responsible manner. There were some lean years where we had to be cognoscente, and we had to make some difficult cuts in the process,” Kelley said. “We’ve recovered and not only returned what we were forced to cut, but have made significant increases in helping our teachers here in Georgia.”

Deal signed the budget in ceremonies across the state on May 2, including one in the area in Acworth. He was previously in Polk County at the airport to sign the amended FY 2018 budget, where he touted spending in rural areas and education as top priorities statewide.

In a release in past days following the signing, Gov. Deal focused much attention on education and how that helps workforce development and making the state the top to do business in the country.

“For five years in a row, Georgia has maintained the distinction as the No. 1 state in which to do business in large part due to the multitude of resources available to businesses seeking to relocate or expand operations,” said Deal. “An educated and skilled workforce and a transportation system conducive to free and efficient movement of its people and products remain top priorities for those in our business community.

All told, the budget covers $26 billion in revenues and expenditures for FY 2019. Legislators will get a chance to amend the state’s proposed spending once they return to office for the start of a new session in January of next year.

One area that Kelley hopes to make an impact when it comes time to amend the budget and start on a new one for 2020 is how the state can help push along the development of rural broadband solutions.

He’s hoping for further investment directly from the state beyond providing the private sector additional incentives for building out the internet infrastructure needed in underserved parts of the state like Polk County when it comes to high-speed connectivity.

Kelley also wants further investment in dual enrollment, College and Career Academy campuses and programs, and more.

The FY 2018 amended budget was good to Polk County, and so is this coming year’s fiscal budget according to State Rep. Trey Kelley.

Among the funding included in the FY 2019 budget that will help Polk County in the years to come is the rest of the money needed for Georgia Northwestern Technical College to take over the former Department of Labor office in the Cedartown’s Northside Industrial Park.

“This is the second part of that funding,” Kelley said, and added that an initial round of state dollars for GNTC to take over the building was part of the amended budget for the current fiscal year.

Funding locally from the current budget also includes money for the Cornelius Moore Field runway extension project, the Cherokee Road paving project, and much more.

“The commitment our state is making to rural communities like ours is something I’ve fought for, and something the house has lead on,” Kelley said. “It has been an important issue for me, and I’m excited to see the progress.”

Progress also came for schools statewide, as yet another increase in funds came from the legislature that fully funds the QBE, or Quality Basic Education rate, for the first time in its 30-year life. Kelley said that alone should be an achievement, but an additional $900,000 is coming back locally in that formula just this year out of millions provided to cover the