Keeping government spending in check during budget hearings
Last week, after taking a day off to honor the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., your State Senate convened alongside your State House of Representatives to undergo budget hearings. During the joint hearings, Georgia’s state agencies discussed their budget and policy proposals. We also learned about the state of Georgia’s economy, which is certainly on the up-and-up. Our great state is experiencing growth in nearly every area: sales tax revenue, consumer spending, our labor market and more are all returning to pre-Recession levels.
As we review their proposals, the Senate’s primary goal is to pass a balanced budget that improves the lives of Georgians remains. My goal is to ensure that funding is appropriately allocated and that your tax dollars are spent in a fiscally conservative manner. While the Governor’s and state agency’s budget recommendations are certainly a guiding framework, it is up to the House and Senate to finalize the general Fiscal Year 2018 (FY18) and the amended Fiscal Year 2017 (AFY17) appropriations bills.
Past years of responsible and fiscally conservative budgeting have allowed Georgia’s economy to continue to grow. The estimated state fund revenues—$24 billion in AFY17 and $25 billion in FY18—are proof that Georgia is continuing to grow and invest in the future of our state. Governor Deal’s FY 2018 budget recommendations include additional funds for a 20 percent salary increase for law enforcement officers as well as additional increases for public safety trainers and criminal investigators to reduce turnover and improve recruitment. Additionally, Governor Deal proposed a 2 percent increase to the state base salary schedule for certified personnel, school bus drivers and school nurses.
As your senator, I want to make sure that Georgia not only breaks even with the Recession, but also grows beyond its prior peak. With that in mind, I will listen to each budget proposal to ensure that government spending does not impede our state’s growth in any way. Although things are looking up, we will continue to operate in a fiscally conservative manner so that we will be able to safeguard Georgia’s Triple AAA bond rating and maintain our reputation as one of the top states for businesses, their employees, and their families.
I am honored that you have put your trust in me and I will always put your best interests at the forefront of my decision making while here at the Capitol. Please feel free to contact my office at any time to talk about pending legislation or address other concerns in our district – my door and phone lines are always open!
You can find Governor Deal’s proposed Fiscal Year 2017 amended budget and Governor Deal’s proposed Fiscal Year 2018 general budget online at https://opb.georgia.gov/.
Sen. Jeff Mullis serves as Chairman of the Rules Committee. He represents the 53rd Senate District, which includes Catoosa, Dade, and Walker counties and portions of Chattooga County. He can be reached at his office in Atlanta at 404.656.0057 or by email at jeff.mullis@senate.ga.gov.