State funding for the next 14 months is up in the air. The Georgia House, Senate and Gov. Sonny Perdue are playing a high-stakes game of chicken just hours before the legislature adjourns for the session.
In the House, Democrats joined Republicans Friday morning to override Perdue's veto of the amended 2007 budget.
"I was the first Republican Speaker of the House, and I'm about to be the first to vote to override a governor's veto ever in this state," House Speaker Glenn Richardson (R-Hiram) told representatives before the vote. “I think you are too."
All but five representatives approved the override. Richardson called on the Senate to do the same immediately. But Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, who presides over the upper chamber, says the House vote does not count because of a technicality. According to the Georgia Constitution, lawmakers can consider an override only after the governor transmits his veto to them. Cagle says a late-night press conference, in which the governor vetoed the budget document, does not constitute official transmission.
"The Senate is going to continue to do the business of the state. We're going to continue to take up legislation," Cagle said. "And we're going to appoint conference committees and try to work through the differences. I encourage the House members to do the same."
Gov. Sonny Perdue vetoed the 2007 midyear budget late Thursday, saying, "It does not fund necessary operations. It does not meet the current expenses of the state. It does not meet the needs of Georgians."
Perdue disagreed with lawmakers' decision to spend $142 million on property tax rebates. But, by vetoing the midyear budget, he has killed emergency funding for the Peachcare child health program, education, and tornado clean up.
That's why, House Democrats say, they helped their Republican counterparts override Perdue’s veto.
"When we evaluated where we are, we felt like the only way to get Peachcare funded right now, was to agree to what we had done in the conference committee," said House Minority Leader DuBose Porter (D-Dublin). The override, he says "is the only scenario where we could end today and go home and have expectations for a functioning government done now."
Porter acknowledges line lawmakers are caught in a game between the current governor and two men who might want to succeed him. Perdue has said he would call lawmakers back to the Capitol for a special session, unless the House and Senate resolve the budget dispute. Senate leaders say they’re willing to amend the 2008 budget, which has not been passed, with a new version of the 2007 midyear budget. But House leaders are refusing to come to the table without the property tax cut that Perdue staunchly opposes.
In the House, Democrats joined Republicans Friday morning to override Perdue's veto of the amended 2007 budget.
"I was the first Republican Speaker of the House, and I'm about to be the first to vote to override a governor's veto ever in this state," House Speaker Glenn Richardson (R-Hiram) told representatives before the vote. “I think you are too."
All but five representatives approved the override. Richardson called on the Senate to do the same immediately. But Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, who presides over the upper chamber, says the House vote does not count because of a technicality. According to the Georgia Constitution, lawmakers can consider an override only after the governor transmits his veto to them. Cagle says a late-night press conference, in which the governor vetoed the budget document, does not constitute official transmission.
"The Senate is going to continue to do the business of the state. We're going to continue to take up legislation," Cagle said. "And we're going to appoint conference committees and try to work through the differences. I encourage the House members to do the same."
Gov. Sonny Perdue vetoed the 2007 midyear budget late Thursday, saying, "It does not fund necessary operations. It does not meet the current expenses of the state. It does not meet the needs of Georgians."
Perdue disagreed with lawmakers' decision to spend $142 million on property tax rebates. But, by vetoing the midyear budget, he has killed emergency funding for the Peachcare child health program, education, and tornado clean up.
That's why, House Democrats say, they helped their Republican counterparts override Perdue’s veto.
"When we evaluated where we are, we felt like the only way to get Peachcare funded right now, was to agree to what we had done in the conference committee," said House Minority Leader DuBose Porter (D-Dublin). The override, he says "is the only scenario where we could end today and go home and have expectations for a functioning government done now."
Porter acknowledges line lawmakers are caught in a game between the current governor and two men who might want to succeed him. Perdue has said he would call lawmakers back to the Capitol for a special session, unless the House and Senate resolve the budget dispute. Senate leaders say they’re willing to amend the 2008 budget, which has not been passed, with a new version of the 2007 midyear budget. But House leaders are refusing to come to the table without the property tax cut that Perdue staunchly opposes.
