Athens Banner-Herald
Morris News Service
February 22, 2010
ATLANTA - The Georgia General Assembly may be in recess this week and next, but that doesn't mean legislators will be out on the playground - it means they'll be working on their math homework by trying to balance the state's beleaguered budget.
The recess gives legislative leaders more time to focus on the budget without the distractions of other types of legislation, or the parade of beauty queens and high school athletes who come to the Gold Dome for a few minutes in the spotlight.
The House and Senate appropriations committees will take the unusual step of meeting together in the middle of the legislative session to go over the $18 billion budget line by line with the agency heads who are requesting a share of the money.
"We have a difficult, difficult budget task in front of us," said House Majority Leader Jerry Keen.
His Senate counterpart predicted lawmakers will go beyond merely cutting.
"I believe what we are facing today, what we are facing over the next two years, is going to call for us to go beyond simply the appropriations process to look at other statutory changes that are necessary, and that opens up an entire spectrum of possible answers," said Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers.
One idea gaining steam is to "raid" the University System of Georgia budget by moving those appropriations to other agencies because colleges have the option of raising tuition. With record enrollment and tuition currently among the lowest in the nation, the schools could squeeze more out of parents, legislators are thinking.
"I suspect that higher education will be called on to contribute to the shortfall," said Senate Appropriations Chairman Jack Hill.
Regular sessions of the full House and Senate are scheduled to resume March 8.
Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Monday, February 22, 2010
http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/022210/gen_565943258.shtml
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