Perdue: FY 09 Budget Focuses on 'Core Services'

Governor Sonny Perdue's signing of an $18.9 billion budget that includes property tax break funding already promised to Georgia homeowners, slashes about two billion dollars in state spending to close a huge budget hole.

"This is a budget that focuses on the core services of government," Governor Perdue said in a statement released from the Governor's Office Friday.

"We have made effective use of federal stimulus dollars and the state’s rainy day fund, which we worked so hard to build up, to lessen the impact of this economic downturn and plan for next year’s budget. Through sound management by our agency leaders and wise decisions by lawmakers, Georgia will endure a challenging economy and emerge ready to prosper."

The budget contains $625 million in federal stimulus dollars for Medicaid and education. That federal cash helped the state fund some $428 million in homeowner tax relief grants, which translates into about $200 to $300 per household. That money was already included in property tax bills. But the relief could disappear next year because a new law will link future grants to the state's economy.

The budget covers the fiscal year that ends June 30th.

Click here for more details on the budget: www.legis.ga.gov

(AP)