GERALD GREENE: State House takes a closer look at proposed budget cuts

On Feb. 10, I returned to the state Capitol for the fifth week of the 2020 legislative session. We previously voted on a legislative calendar to postpone meeting on the House floor in order to devote additional time to the state budgeting process.

Crafting the state budget is always a taxing process, and the fifth week of the session proved to be especially significant as we dedicated our time to gathering more information on potential budget adjustments for the current and upcoming fiscal years and discussed budgetary priorities.

Last week, my colleagues and I examined areas of Gov. Kemp’s budget that includes services that our rural communities often rely on. Under Gov. Kemp’s proposal, the Department of Public Health would see a reduction of approximately $6.4 million in the AFY 2020 budget that would affect grant funds for county health departments, as well as an additional reduction of more than $9.2 million in funding for these departments in the FY 2021 budget. Furthermore, the Department of Community Health’s funding would be reduced by $630,000 in both the AFY 2020 and the FY 2021 budgets. These reductions would affect programs that attract and retain doctors in rural Georgia, as well as loan repayment awards for health care providers.

There is also a proposed reduction of $463,000 in one-time funds for the state’s Rural Health Innovation Center, which the General Assembly previously appropriated to confront the health care challenges and disparities in rural Georgia.

Over the last several years, the House has led the charge in creating legislative solutions that aid rural communities and improving the quality of life and ensuring access to basic health care services for rural Georgians continues to be a priority in the House.

We also spent time examining proposed budget adjustments for agricultural education and research programs that aid the state’s farmers and agricultural industry in a variety of ways. In prior budgets, the General Assembly appropriated additional funding for programs like the University System of Georgia’s Agricultural Experiment Stations and Cooperative Extension Services. We learned that under Gov. Kemp’s AFY 2020 budget proposal, the AES and CES programs would be reduced by approximately $6.2 million, and the programs would see a reduction of more than $7.6 million in the FY 2021 budget.

Agriculture is the No. 1 industry in Georgia, and my colleagues and I will remain committed to maintaining this title as we consider funding for these programs. While the state budget bills continue to make their way through the legislative process, I encourage you to reach out to me with any questions or concerns you have regarding the state’s budgeting process or any budget recommendations.

Feel free to contact me by email, [email protected], or at my office at (404) 656-5105. You may also feel free to write to me at 206 Washington St. SW, 131 State Capitol, Atlanta Ga. 30334.

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