When Governor Sonny Perdue signed the midyear budget Tuesday, he admitted it helped some state agencies but hurt others.
"I've been trying to persuade my legislative brethren [who write the budget] there were unmet needs and these things would happen," Perdue told reporters. "Bad decisions have consequences."
The consequences will be felt strongly by the following "losers" in the 2007 amended budget:
Prosecuting Attorneys Council Executive Director Richard Malone says the budget shortchanges district attorneys' offices by $1.2 million.
Malone says every employee, except the district attorneys, will be furloughed without pay for up to six days.
"The DAs themselves will be okay," Malone said. "It's the younger and the less financially stable folks—meaning those that get paid a lot less—that are going to suffer the most."
Malone worries that line prosecutors and staff will become discouraged and go job-hunting elsewhere.
Adult basic education teachers are in an even worse bind: they could be furloughed for an entire month because the Department of Technical Education did not receive the $800,000 it needs for salaries in June.
Spokesman Mike Light says the department is seeking other sources of money.
"If we're going to do anything to save the people and keep them on their jobs," Light says, "It would have to be local funds from the college level or somewhere else."
About 96,000 students are in the programs that could be suspended. They include high-school dropouts in GED classes, and immigrants learning English.
On the other hand, here are some "winners":
Administrators of the cash-strapped Peachcare child health program are relieved. They will receive up to $81 million to reimburse providers.
But, they will not lift the freeze on enrollment until October or later, according to Mark Trail, who oversees the program.
Trail says state officials want to make sure that Congress reauthorizes the program and changes its federal funding formula.
About 284,000 children from low-wage and middle-class families use Peachcare.
Finally, the budget brings good news for public schools. They will get $164 million to pay teachers and school nurses.
"I've been trying to persuade my legislative brethren [who write the budget] there were unmet needs and these things would happen," Perdue told reporters. "Bad decisions have consequences."
The consequences will be felt strongly by the following "losers" in the 2007 amended budget:
Prosecuting Attorneys Council Executive Director Richard Malone says the budget shortchanges district attorneys' offices by $1.2 million.
Malone says every employee, except the district attorneys, will be furloughed without pay for up to six days.
"The DAs themselves will be okay," Malone said. "It's the younger and the less financially stable folks—meaning those that get paid a lot less—that are going to suffer the most."
Malone worries that line prosecutors and staff will become discouraged and go job-hunting elsewhere.
Adult basic education teachers are in an even worse bind: they could be furloughed for an entire month because the Department of Technical Education did not receive the $800,000 it needs for salaries in June.
Spokesman Mike Light says the department is seeking other sources of money.
"If we're going to do anything to save the people and keep them on their jobs," Light says, "It would have to be local funds from the college level or somewhere else."
About 96,000 students are in the programs that could be suspended. They include high-school dropouts in GED classes, and immigrants learning English.
On the other hand, here are some "winners":
Administrators of the cash-strapped Peachcare child health program are relieved. They will receive up to $81 million to reimburse providers.
But, they will not lift the freeze on enrollment until October or later, according to Mark Trail, who oversees the program.
Trail says state officials want to make sure that Congress reauthorizes the program and changes its federal funding formula.
About 284,000 children from low-wage and middle-class families use Peachcare.
Finally, the budget brings good news for public schools. They will get $164 million to pay teachers and school nurses.
