Today Governor Sonny Perdue reduced the 2010 state budget by $1.6 billion . Earlier, the Governor projected 3% growth over this year in state revenue, but with the economy continuing to decline next year's budget will be flat. Perdue is asking state employees to pay 5% more of their health insurance costs. He is also banking on %1.1 billion in stimulus money and the Governor has agreed to take all the available federal stimulus funds for state unemployment benefits. He says it would add $150 million to Georgia's unemployment trust fund. Regarding state employee furloughs, he says he will leave that up to state agency heads.
