At least publicly, lawmakers remain miles apart on the midyear budget, which could make the special session as rocky as the regular one that ended Friday.
While House leaders vow to override Gov. Sonny Perdue’s veto of the 2007 midyear budget “again and again and again,” Senate President Pro Tem Eric Johnson (R-Savannah) released a statement Wednesday saying he would not support that.
In his statement, Johnson calls the $142 million property tax cut that Perdue had criticized, "a logistical nightmare" that would have given most homeowners less than the promised $100.
Johnson says lawmakers should put that money in the state’s reserves instead.
"I will not vote to override the Governor's veto as long as the surplus money is put into our reserve account," he says. "A permanent tax cut only will be possible once the reserves are full."
"After all our hard work to reach a compromise on the '07 Amended Budget, Senator Eric Johnson compared the final result to giving birth, saying that you can't have a beautiful baby without the pains of labor and declaring himself the proud parent of a $142 million tax cut," House Speaker Pro Tem Mark Burkhalter (R-Alpharetta) responds. "I guess he's decided to put that baby up for adoption."
The House, he says, continues to stand behind the tax refund. The midyear budget is supposed to allocate additional funding of state services through June 30. The bill included emergency funds for the Peachcare child health program, education, tornado relief and public defenders.
Gov. Sonny Perdue has not formally called a special session yet. When he does, it is expected to last at least five days, at a cost of $48,000 per day.
While House leaders vow to override Gov. Sonny Perdue’s veto of the 2007 midyear budget “again and again and again,” Senate President Pro Tem Eric Johnson (R-Savannah) released a statement Wednesday saying he would not support that.
In his statement, Johnson calls the $142 million property tax cut that Perdue had criticized, "a logistical nightmare" that would have given most homeowners less than the promised $100.
Johnson says lawmakers should put that money in the state’s reserves instead.
"I will not vote to override the Governor's veto as long as the surplus money is put into our reserve account," he says. "A permanent tax cut only will be possible once the reserves are full."
"After all our hard work to reach a compromise on the '07 Amended Budget, Senator Eric Johnson compared the final result to giving birth, saying that you can't have a beautiful baby without the pains of labor and declaring himself the proud parent of a $142 million tax cut," House Speaker Pro Tem Mark Burkhalter (R-Alpharetta) responds. "I guess he's decided to put that baby up for adoption."
The House, he says, continues to stand behind the tax refund. The midyear budget is supposed to allocate additional funding of state services through June 30. The bill included emergency funds for the Peachcare child health program, education, tornado relief and public defenders.
Gov. Sonny Perdue has not formally called a special session yet. When he does, it is expected to last at least five days, at a cost of $48,000 per day.
