Kemp proposes record $32.5B FY24 budget
Gov. Brian Kemp released a $32.5 billion fiscal 2024 state budget proposal Friday, Jan. 13, that’s heavy on spending for education and gives Georgia teachers and state employees $2,000 raises.
The spending plan, up more than $2 billion over this year’s record budget, is built on an all-time high state surplus of more than $6 billion.
“As we look ahead to the upcoming fiscal year, we expect the state’s economy to be well positioned to withstand any further national economic slowing,” the governor wrote in his annual budget message to legislative leaders.
“As such, the … budgets I am presenting herein ensure that we continue to meet our financial obligations as a state while also investing in the education, health, and safety of our citizens to maintain our position as the best state in the country to live, work, and raise our families.”
Kemp is calling for fully funding Georgia’s Quality
Basic Education K-12 student funding formula with $745 million in the fiscal 2023 mid-year budget — which covers state spending through June 30 — and $1.1 billion in fiscal 2024. QBE was not fully funded when Georgia was suffering leaner economic times, but full funding has been restored for the last several years.
On the higher education side, the governor’s budget earmarks $61.2 million to fully fund the HOPE Scholarship program for the first time since then-Gov. Nathan Deal and the legislature cut HOPE benefits more than a decade ago due to growing demand for scholarships combined with rising tuition costs.
After raising teacher salaries in Georgia by $5,000 during his first term, Kemp is calling for another $2,000 raise for teachers and other certified educators. State employees also would see their pay increased by $2,000.
Kemp is fulfilling a promise he made on the campaign trail last year to provide a second $1 billion state income tax rebate on top of
rather a member of Northwest Georgia Regional Commission.
Regional commissions are nonprofits that provide a variety of assistance to their government members in the areas of economic development, GIS, human resources, planning, revolving loan fund administration and workforce development (GMRC).
The 12 member counties
of GMRC are Banks, Dawson, Franklin, Habersham, Hall, Hart, Lumpkin, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union and White
Because GMRC was planning the project and because Walker County was within the flight paths the project was covering and, finally, because including an extra county would bring down the cost for all participants, GMRC invited Walker County to participate.
The cost for the digital orthoimagery is $68 per square mile. Walker County is 467 square miles. The total cost will be $31,756 plus a $2,000 administrative fee, for a grand total of $33,756. The project is slated to be finished by the end of February.
For more information about digital orthoimagery, visit https://www.usgs.gov/ faqs/what-digital-orthophoto-quadrangle-doq-ororthoimage