Friday, December 19, 2008
M.R. Hampton Productions
PRE-SESSION BRIEF
In late July, Gov. Sonny Perdue ordered the Office of Planning and Budget to cut six percent from every state agency with exceptions for Medicaid and PeachCare (5 percent) and the Quality Basic Education (QBE) budget (two percent).
As the budget deficit continues to grow, agency cuts at the eight percent level have been made and some expect the cuts could reach 10-percent or higher. Unless Georgia finds revenue from other sources, the state will face additional cuts for the remainder of FY09 and into FY10.
Other key issues
Georgia is also on the brink of a major restructuring of the state agencies that provide health and human services. A task force of nine members, including representatives from the Office of the Governor, two senators (Sen. Jack Hill and Sen. Renee Unterman) and two representatives (Rep. Ben Harbin and Rep. Mark Butler) met for several months and have the following recommendations for the restructuring of the current Department of Human Resources:
-Division of Public Health will move to the current Department of Community Health, which will be renamed the Department of Health.
-The current Division of Mental Health, Addictive Diseases and Developmental Disabilities will be divided, with Mental Health and Addictive Diseases forming a new Department of Behavioral Health.
-The Department of Human Services will be comprised of the Developmental Disabilities, Aging, Family and Children’s Services, and Child Support.
Legislation to achieve these changes will be introduced during the early days of the session.
Prefiled Healthy Children Legislation
SB 5 (Sen. Don Thomas, 45th) and HB 22 (Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver, 83rd) would require safety belts in pickup trucks, vans, and sport utility vehicles, with the exception of farm vehicles used on a farm in connection with agricultural pursuits. Georgia law currently exempts these vehicles from the safety belt law, costing the state millions in federal transportation dollars.
HB 19 (Rep. Oliver, 83rd) would add a points penalty for the use of cellular, hands-free or mobile telephones while driving. Emergency calls to police, emergency medical response units, etc. would be exempt.
HB 21 (Rep. Oliver, 83rd) would prohibit anyone with an instructional driver’s permit or a Class D license (age 18 with one year’s driving experience) from using cellular, hands-free or mobile telephones.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Bridgebuilder Grant Award
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
South Georgia at the State Capitol – November Revenues
The Governor and the Department of Revenue recently released the revenue figures for November. On the positive side, the month-to-month comparisons between November of this year and November of last year (FY08) show that revenues were 1.4% higher.
In addition, the state has been making up ground over the last three months in terms of its annual revenues. In September, year-to-date (YTD) revenues were -2.61% below FY08 actual revenues, in October YTD revenues were -1.98% below FY08, and in November YTD revenues were -1.3% below FY08 revenues. In the summer budget writers were operating under the assumption that the state would be .9% below FY08 (a $1.6 billion deficit in FY09), so actually November revenues suggest that the state is approaching this target.
While this information is encouraging, most state budget writers are concerned that Georgia is not yet feeling the effect of the national economy and are currently discussing a shortfall of $2 billion or more. Here are the details of how revenues performed in November:
Income Tax
Personal income tax collections were 3.8% above November 2007 (FY08) collections, which is an increase of $27.3 million. These figures are surprising considering that both Georgia and the United States as a whole has seen significant increases in unemployment over the past couple months. This disconnect between unemployment and personal income tax collections suggest that Georgia has not yet seen the full effect of unemployment and economic conditions.
· Year-to-date personal income tax collections for FY09 are down 1.6% compared to FY08, which is equal to $58 million.
Sales and Use Taxes
Compared to November FY08, the sales and use tax collections for the state were only down .5%, which is equal to $2.3 million. However, in part this differential is because of a new system of remitting sales taxes to local governments. Earlier in the year, locals were receiving more than the state did in prior year months, now they are receiving less. The figure that more accurately reflects sales and use tax performance is gross sales and use tax collections, which were down $129.8 million, or 14%.
· The amount remitted to local governments was down by 27% (which is an increase in collections for the state); however, this change is in part due to the Department of Revenue shifting from an estimated remittance to local governments to a system that reflects actual local collections. This change affects the month over month comparisons. Consequently, there should be no large increase or decrease at the end of the fiscal year.
Sales and use tax collections were propped up by three categories.
· Sales in the ambiguous “miscellaneous services” category, which accounts for 10.1% of collections, were up 9.4% year to date.
· Also up were sales in the equally ambiguous “miscellaneous” category, which accounts for 12.1% of collections, and is up by 12.1% year to date.
· Utilities sales, which account for 14% of sales and use tax collections, were up 11.9%.
Time to Write a Budget
The Governor faces a difficult task in preparing an Amended FY2009 Budget and projecting revenues for FY2010. We have not seen such uncertainty since 2002-03. The Legislature will have to make some tough decisions this session once Governor Perdue submits his budget. I look forward to working with the Governor and my colleagues in the Senate to pass a budget that is fiscally responsible and provides Georgians with the most essential and efficient government programs.
As always, I’d like to thank members of the Senate staff, who contribute regularly to my column. Please contact me in my office at the Capitol with your questions, comments or concerns.
# # # #
Sen. Greg Goggans represents the 7th Senate District, which includes Atkinson, Bacon, Berrien, Clinch, Coffee, Echols, Lanier, Pierce and Ware counties and a portion of Cook County.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
South Georgia at the State Capitol – Budget Math
Georgia’s FY09 budget is a three hundred and forty-three page document that outlines a spending plan for a $21.2 billion state funds budget. Of this $21.2 billion, only $19.1 billion are state general funds, which are generally free from constitutional or legislative restrictions.
$ 21.2 billion (state funds)
minus $ 1.04 billion (motor fuel funds)
minus $ 0.88 billion (lottery proceeds)
minus $ 0.16 billion (tobacco settlement funds)
minus $ 0.020 billion (brain and spinal injury trust funds)
$ 19.10 billion (state general funds)
State General Funds are comprised mainly of tax and fee income and can be spent for any legitimate state expense. State Motor Fuel Funds can only be used to provide and maintain roads and bridges. Lottery Proceeds can statutorily be spent for “educational purposes and projects only” but basically fund the HOPE scholarship and the Pre-Kindergarten school program. Tobacco Settlement Funds represents Georgia’s share of the national tobacco settlement. Georgia generally has chosen to allocate these funds for health and rural economic development purposes only.
How the State Spends Its Money
Here are some of the broad policy areas and the amounts the state spends:
· Education (K-12 and Higher Education) – $11.86 billion, over 56 percent of the state budget
· Health Care – $2.51 billion, just under 12 percent of the state budget
· Public Safety – $2.03 billion, just under 10 percent of the state budget
· Human Resources – $1.75 billion, over 8 percent of the state’s budget
· Debt Service – $1 billion, over 4 percent of the state’s budget
How Budget Cuts Are Being Made
By now, everyone is familiar with the state’s predicted $1.6 billion shortfall (which may be optimistic given recent economic news and current economic conditions). Currently, many are discussing a $2 billion shortfall. The difficult part of managing a revenue shortfall is deciding what to cut while still complying with various legal and policy restrictions.
The Governor has exempted K-12 education formulas from the full 6, 8, or 10 percent cuts. Instead, the Governor has ordered 2 percent cuts from the approximately $7.65 billion in education formula funds such as Quality Basic Education, Equalization, Pupil Transportation and others. The money spent through these programs is equal to 45 percent of the state’s budget. Similarly, the Governor has exempted Medicaid spending, which is $2.3 billion, from full cuts. Instead, he has ordered a 5 percent cut to this program.
Here is how we arrive at the amount to which a 6 or 8% cut can be applied:
$ 19.10 billion (state general funds)
minus $ 8.5 billion (for education formulas, which will be cut at 2%)
minus $ 2.3 billion (for Medicaid, which will be cut at 5%)
minus $ 1.0 billion (for debt service, which cannot be cut)
$ 7.3 billion (from which to make remaining cuts)
Because local contributions have to be considered as part of the education numbers, each 1% reduction from the education formulas yields around $76 million. Each 1% cut to Medicaid yields around $23 million. Each 1% cut across the rest of the budget yields about $73 million.
$ 1. 6 billion (predicted shortfall)
minus $ 0.157 billion (2 % cut to education)
minus $ 0.114 billion (5% cut to Medicaid)
$ 1.329 billion (remaining shortfall)
For 2009 at least, one-time funds are being applied to the shortfall which reduces the amount that has to be raised from the 6 or 8% cut. Now it would seem that there is $1.329 billion left to cut from the remaining $7.3 billion of state general funds, but the Governor reduced the amount needed from budget cuts by applying one-time funds to the deficit as shown below.
$ 1.329 billion (remaining to be cut after education and Medicaid)
minus $ 0.057 billion (deferring state employee pay raises)
minus $ 0.1 billion ( reduce Other Post Employment Benefits contribution)
minus $ 0.225 billion (utilize State Health Benefit Plan surpluses)
minus $ 0.04 billion (shift reservoir money from cash to bonds)
minus $ .07 billion (other one-time reserves in the budget)
$ 0.832 billion (left to be cut from state agencies)
So, the Governor and legislature have to cut about $832 million from the $7.3 billion as shown above. This is an 11 percent cut to state agencies. To further reduce the amount of agency cuts, the Governor proposed to take $428 million from the Homeowners Tax Relief Grant, which would reduce the amount of the across the board cut to state agencies in the remaining $7.3 billion to around $404 million, or about 6%. This is the proposal that most of the agencies are operating on right now.
If the situation were to worsen and the state had to find an additional $400 million to cover a $2 billion hole in the budget, this would be the equivalent of another 6% cut across the board to all agencies except Education and Medicaid unless those were cut additionally.
On the good news side, the Department of Audits reported this week that the Revenue Shortfall Reserve had increased from $1.1 billion to $1.2 billion from funds that agencies managed to save at the end of FY08. Most of these efficiencies came from changes in the state’s administration of the Medicaid program. Leaders are reluctant to use much of the reserve until the depth of the downturn is clearer.
As always, I’d like to thank members of the Senate staff, who contribute regularly to my column. Please contact me in my office at the Capitol with your questions, comments or concerns.
# # # #
Sen. Greg Goggans represents the 7th Senate District, which includes Atkinson, Bacon, Berrien, Clinch, Coffee, Echols, Lanier, Pierce and Ware counties and a portion of Cook County.
Monday, December 1, 2008
CASA Program Launch
The need for this program is vital to our support system for our children. We currently have over 200 abused and neglected children in need of these services. If you would like more information regarding this program and or would like to be volunteer advocate for a child, please contact Elaine Douglas at elaine.douglas@berrien.k12.ga.us/229-686-6576.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
SAVE THE DATE for AT&T Check Presentation
Thank you for your support!
Matt Jansen
Executive Director
Berrien County Collaborative, Inc.
Monday, November 3, 2008
BIG SHOUT OUT to Watson's Pools and Patios
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Berrien County Collaborative Receives Learn and Serve Grant
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
***CASA Director Position for the Alapaha Judicial Circuit***
The Berrien County Collaborative will be hosting the new CASA of the Alapaha Judicial Circuit program. This position is grant funded and will serve Atkinson, Berrien, Clinch, Cook, and Lanier Counties. The position will be based out of the Berrien County Collaborative's YES Center in Nashville Georgia.
DESCRIPTION: The Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Coordinator recruits, screens, selects, trains, and supervises volunteers to serve as Court Appointed Special Advocates in the Juvenile Court. CASA Coordinators are responsible for cultivating and maintaining professional intra- and inter-agency relationships, as well as providing community education and awareness of the CASA Program.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
- Engages actively in all aspects of volunteer management, including recruitment, training, supervision, assessment, case assignment, retention, and recognition.
- Delivers exemplary customer service, expeditiously and professionally, to all parties related to or inquiring about the CASA Program.
- Assists in identifying, building collaborations with, and referring CASAs to appropriate community resource agencies.
- Attends and participates in staff meetings, including program development and strategic planning sessions.
- Partners with the Program Supervisor and other CASA Coordinators to develop and implement public relations, marketing, recruitment, and community outreach/education plans.
- Facilitates case support or other program-related meetings and completes all required set-up and follow-through activities.
- Serves as liaison between CASA Coordinators and other groups and agencies to facilitate communication, reimbursements, event participation, procedural improvements, or other items of necessity.
- Assists in the development of both orientation training and in-service training modules, and the continual monitoring of training improvements. Monitors changes or revisions to laws to maintain accurate training materials and information.
- Adheres to CASA Program administrative policies, and assures Program compliance with Alapaha Judicial Circuit and Administrative Office of the Court (AOC) policies and procedures.
- Contributes to the completion of the CASA newsletter, including suggesting or composing articles, providing volunteer recognition entries, and proofreading.
- Demonstrates understanding of and promotes Model Court concepts and principles to potential volunteers, network providers, partnering agencies, and community agencies.
- Attends and participates in State-level CASA and Support Council meetings, committees, or events as required.
- Compiles and provides required documentation and statistics for monthly and quarterly reports.
ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES/DUTIES
- Designs and composes communications and/or outreach materials including correspondence, newsletters, and flyers.
- Represents the CASA Program by participating in community outreach events and promoting program awareness through a variety of methods such as presentations, fairs, external training sessions, and private speaking engagements.
- Research and write grants to support CASA program.
- Participates in the planning and implementation of special events.
- Completes related duties and projects as necessary.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS: A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in a behavioral/social science or a related field, and three years of professional work experience. Related work experience includes the fields of social work, criminal or juvenile justice, mental or behavioral health. OR, any equivalent combination of experience, training and/or education approved by Human Resources.
SELECTION PROCESS: Skills assessment testing may be administered. There will be panel interviews.
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS: The Berrien County Collaborative offers a competitive compensation and benefits package to include medical, dental, life insurance, flexible spending accounts, retirement and deferred compensation plans, paid vacation and sick leave, as well as other benefits.
HOW TO APPLY: This position is open until filled, with the first screening of applications the week of October 20th, 2008. Submit cover letter and resume, describing your skills and experience relative to the position under recruitment, to matt.jansen@berrien.k12.ga.us.
The Berrien County Collaborative is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Friday, October 10, 2008
Berrien Academy PLC's Legislative Breakfast
The Berrien Academy PLC will be hosting a legislative breakfast Thursday, October 30th, 2008 @ 9am. The morning will also showcase several of our student projects and presentations. If you would like to attend, please contact Vanne Tucker at 229-686-6576.
Berrien Academy PLC's Legislative Breakfast
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Georgia Graduation Rate Rises
2006 graduation rate: 70.8
2007 graduation rate: 72.3
2008 graduation rate: 75.4
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Child Care Resource and Referral Agency Closing
Historic Foster Care and Adoption Legislation Clears Congress
We are happy to report that the bill was approved by Congress on September 22. The President is expected to sign the bill into law before September 30.
Most measures in the legislation will take effect immediately upon approval by the President, though guidance to states by the Department of Health and Human Services will be needed for clarification. Provisions that take effect at a later date are noted in the detail below.
The legislation can be reviewed at http://thomas.loc.gov; enter "HR 6893" in the search line, then check "search bill number."
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
NEW SURVEY FINDS GEORGIA VOTERS BELIEVE AFTERSCHOOL IS CRITICAL
ATLANTA - A new survey finds that 86% of Georgia's parents think afterschool programs are important for children and youth and they want to see more afterschool opportunities in the state. Nearly half of a million of Georgia's children are not participating in afterschool programs - programs that have been shown to be critical to their development and the growth and prosperity of the economy.
The full Critical Need report can be downloaded from the GAIC website at www.afterschoolga.org or by cutting and pasting this link in your address bar: http://afterschoolga.org/Repository/Files/GA%20Afterschool%20Survey%20Report%202008.pdf
South Georgia at the State Capitol
An Interesting Trend Over the Last Few Months
The monthly revenue reports detail sales taxes collected for both state and local distribution. The Department of Revenue then remits an amount to local governments.
Last month, the state remitted $422.1 million to local governments for sales taxes, an increase of $56.4 million over August of the previous year.
As noted in last week’s column, state revenues in August, 2008 are down $94.1 million compared to August, 2007.
In July, the state remitted $445.4 million to local governments for sales taxes, an increase of approximately $22.6 million over July of 2007.
By comparison, state revenues in July, 2008 were down by $86.4 million compared to July, 2007, a decrease of 6.6 percent.
In June, the state remitted $419.3 million to local governments, an increase of approximately $14.5 million over June of 2007.
State revenues in June, 2007 were down $168.3 million compared to revenues from June of 2006. This equals a decrease of 9.4 percent.
Overall, in FY2008, ending this past June, the state remitted over $4.8 billion to local governments. This was an increase of $74.5 million over the amount remitted in FY2007, a 1.6 percent increase over the previous fiscal year. For the same period, total state revenues were down by approximately $600 million.
Explanations for the Appearance of Increased Local Disbursements
There are numerous factors that have contributed to the appearance of robust local sales tax revenues while state revenues have declined.
Local revenues appear higher because the Department of Revenue has switched the method it uses to determine how much it sends to local governments. In previous years, the state would estimate how much to send for each month based on revenues for the previous three months as well as how much the Department was off in its previous payments. In addition, the Department would only have actual figures for the first through the 20th of the month and then would have to estimate the remaining eight to ten days. This methodology led to a widely variable number that had to be “trued up” later. Starting in July of 2008, the Department of Revenue started using actual collections, which makes comparisons less valuable.
Despite the changes in methodology, there are a couple of factors worth noting that actually did drive up local disbursements.
More sales taxes are being paid electronically. This means that the Department of Revenue is processing and disbursing sales tax receipts faster.
2. Included in local sales tax collections are revenues raised by taxing the sale of motor fuels. There are a couple of issues with motor fuels. First, the numbers published by the Department of Revenue separate state motor fuel tax revenues from the rest of the sales tax. This means that any changes in revenues driven by motor fuels will appear larger in the local sales tax remittance. In addition, in June the Governor froze the rate at which Georgians pay state motor fuel taxes. Local governments took no such action, meaning that they collect their local sales rate on the price paid at the pump. So, as long as Georgians are paying more to fill their tanks, local governments will continue to earn relatively more than the state. So, local governments will continue to collect increased sales taxes from increases in gas prices while the state will not.
Some have theorized that local governments’ ability to tax food has contributed to their strong revenues during the recent downturn. The underlying logic is that consumers, when faced with difficult economic conditions, will restrict their purchases to necessities such as food. At the same time, the price of food has been going up. However, figures from the Department of Revenue do not support this theory, so far.
The Department of Revenue categorizes the types of businesses from which it receives sales tax payments. Tracking payments by type of business allows the Department to understand how different sectors of the Georgia economy are performing. Starting in March of FY2008, revenues from sales of food began to decline in comparison to FY2007.
In March FY2008, receipts from food-based sales taxes were down $4.4 million compared to March FY2007.
In April FY2008, receipts from food-based sales taxes were down $9.8 million compared to April FY2007.
Surprisingly, May FY2008 receipts from food-based sales taxes were actually up $4.7 million compared to May of the previous fiscal year.
Once again, June FY2008 was back down compared to June FY2007, this time by $5.0 million.
The trend of weaker food-based sales tax receipts has continued into FY2009. In July, 2008 there was a decrease of $43.3 million over July 2007. In August there was once again a decrease over August 2007, but this time only $14.9 million.
As always, I’d like to thank members of the Senate staff, who contribute regularly to my column. Please contact me in my office at the Capitol with your questions, comments or concerns.
Senator Greg Goggans
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
South Georgia at the State Capitol August revenues forecast challenges for 2009 fiscal year
Total Collections and Month to Month Comparisons
State revenues for August slipped by 7.0% under 2007 figures or $94.159 million less. Total revenues for August were $1.25 billion compared to $1.35 billion in August of 2007.
The state collected approximately $638.9 million dollars in August from individual income taxes compared to $683.9 million in August 2007. This decrease of $45.0 million is equal to a 6.6 percent drop in individual income tax collections.
The figures for sales and use taxes show a similar trend as individual income tax collections. Gross sales and use tax collections were $887.9 million in August FY2009 compared to $901.2 million in August FY2008. The drop in sales tax collections compared to the previous year is $13.3 million, a drop of only 1.5 percent.
Sales Tax Trends
A trend worth noting is that the amount the state distributes to local governments for their portion of sales tax collections has once again increased. In August FY2009, the state distributed $422.1 million to local governments compared to $365.8 million distributed a year ago. So, the state distributed $56.2 million more to local governments than it did last year at a time when state revenues are down.
Motor Fuel Collections
August FY2009 was also a troubling month for motor fuel taxes, with both the sales and excise taxes declining sharply compared to August FY2008. Motor fuel sales tax receipts were down $5.8 million while excise tax receipts were down $5.6 million compared to August FY2008. These are drops of 12.6 percent in the motor fuel sales tax and 13.7 percent in the motor fuel excise tax. Collectively, motor fuel tax collections as a whole are down 13.1 percent. Year-to-Date, fuel tax collections are down 7.0%, which is an additional problem, since the state guarantees that budget level to DOT.
Year-to-Date Comparisons
The year-to-date (YTD) figures for FY2009 paint the same picture as the month to month comparisons. Overall year-to-date revenue collections for FY2009 are approximately $2.5 billion. At this same point in FY2008, the state had collected approximately $2.7 billion. So, as compared to FY2008, the state has collected 6.8 percent less.
For the year to date:
· The state has collected $114.5 million less in income taxes (down 8.9 percent)
· The state has collected $88.0 million less in sales and use taxes (down 8.5 percent)
· The state has collected $11.6 million less in motor fuel taxes (down 7.0 percent)
Inside the Sales Tax Categories
Sales Tax Numbers
The several sales tax categories give clues to the continuing weaknesses in the economy in Georgia.
Year-to-Date (YTD), sales taxes are down 8.5% or $88 million. Food, which makes up 16.8% of sales taxes collected, is down -15.9% YTD, really significant in light of rising prices. The other categories are all negative, ranging from -14.1% for lumber to -3.6% for apparel. One bright spot is that manufacturing sales tax collections are up 0.2%. Utilities sales tax collections are up 18.2%. Distributions to local governments continue to climb, up 10.0% YTD, despite food sales taxes declining. Of course, only local governments receive sales taxes from food sales.
So, we have collected so far $2.45 billion of the $17.4 billion we need in FY2009.
As always, I’d like to thank members of the Senate staff, who contribute regularly to my column. Please contact me in my office at the Capitol with your questions, comments or concerns.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Emory Prevention Research Center Grants $20,000 to Promote Healthier Eating and Physical Activity in Southwest Georgia Community Organizations
Each recipient organization will receive up to $4,000 and staff assistance from the EmoryPrevention Research Center. The nutrition programs that they will implement include Parents as Teachers (PAT) High 5 Low Fat; Treatwell 5-a-Day Program (for worksites); and Little by Little.The physical activity program chosen is the Patient-centered Assessment and Counseling forExercise (PACE) Program. These programs have all been tested and found to be effective.
The Berrien County Collaborative will implement the Parents as Teachers High 5 Low-FatProgram. ―The High 5 Low-Fat program would be a good fit and expansion of the BerrienCounty Collaborative Parents As Teachers Program because the curriculum aligns with the goalto help improve the health of our adolescent and teen moms during pregnancy and after thebirth of their child,‖ said Program Coordinator Lauren Brady.
The Emory Prevention Research Center is sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control andPrevention. The EPRC focuses on cancer prevention in Southwest Georgia by promotinghealthy eating and exercise. To learn more about the Emory Prevention Research Center and the grants awarded, visit www.sph.emory.edu/EPRC or contact April Hermstad by phone at404-712-9537 or by email at ahermst@sph.emory.edu.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Governor Perdue's Gas Gouging Statute for Georgia
The rise in fuel prices is a natural reaction to the market. Georgians have been through this before with Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005 and we’ll manage the temporary spike in price through common sense and conservation. As we’ve done recently in the face of high gas prices; let’s reduce unnecessary travel, carpool and use mass transit, drive a little slower, and fuel up only when we need to.
Governor Perdue signed an Executive Order today enacting Georgia’s price gouging statue to protect Georgia consumer from unlawful increases in gas prices and other products (see below).
If constituents feel they need to report price gouging, send them to the Governor’s Office of Consumer Affairs – 1-800-869-1123 or 404-651-8600.
Georgia’s price gouging statute prevents retailers from selling goods or services at an unreasonable or egregious price. Georgia’s price gouging statute does not prevent price increases that accurately reflect an increase in the cost of the goods or services to the retailer, an increase in the cost of transporting the goods or services into the area, or an increase due to the market forces of supply and demand.
The text of the Executive Order is below:
WHEREAS: Hurricane Ike has caused a natural disaster throughout much of the Gulf Coast region, thereby adversely affecting the motor fuel supplies to the State of Georgia; and
WHEREAS: Price gouging related to motor fuels is detrimental to the social and economic welfare of the citizens of Georgia; and
WHEREAS: Wholesale and retail gas prices have substantially increased in some markets in recent hours; and
WHEREAS: In the light of these circumstances, and to protect public health, safety and welfare, it is necessary to prevent price gouging using the authority vested in the Governor by virtue of O.C.G.A. Section 38-3-51.
NOW, THEREFORE, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY VESTED IN ME AS GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA, IT IS HEREBY
ORDERED: That a State of Emergency exists in the State of Georgia and that the O.C.G.A. Section 10-1-393.4, prohibiting price gouging, is activated.
This 12th day of September, 2008
Governor Sonny Perdue
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Berrien County Collaborative Receives High School Success Grant from AT&T
Thanks for the support!
Matt Jansen
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Berrien Academy PLC Receives Superintendent's Distinguished Achievement Award
Schools are being awarded in all core academic areas across several grades. There are two categories of awards:
- Achievement: The 10 schools with the highest percentage of students in the exceeds score level
- Improvement: The 10 schools with the greatest gains in the percentage of students in the meets and exceeds scoring levels
Please congratulate our Berrien Academy PLC staff for an outstanding job in improving student achievement.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
SAMHSA Press Release - New National Survey Reveals Cocaine, Methamphetamine Use Drop among Young Adults; Prescription Drug Abuse Increases
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Clayton County Schools Lose Accreditation
Clayton County Commission Chairman Eldrin Bell, who was in the meeting at SACS headquarters in Decatur when the announcement came, confirmed the loss of accreditation.
“I’m disappointed. I think we still have a window of hope because there is an appeal process,” he said.
Bell said he summoned the committee of citizens who helped the school district when it was on probation five years ago.
“I cannot allow this to happen. We are going to step back up to the plate to reassure our community that there is hope and we care about our children.”
No accreditation means students will have a tougher time getting into some colleges and universities. They may also have difficulty obtaining scholarships.
Qualifying Clayton students will still be able to get their HOPE scholarships. Earlier this year, Gov. Sonny Perdue signed a bill allowing graduates of unaccredited schools to get HOPE.
Without accreditation, Clayton will also lose pre-kindergarten funding and some teacher benefits. The county also expects more students to flee. About 2,000 students have already left, superintendent John Thompson said.
In March, the national commission unanimously voted to revoke accreditation unless the school system met nine mandates by September. The first mandate was to establish a board that fulfills its roles and responsibilities.
This is the second time is five years SACS cited Clayton for micromanaging, abuse of power, conflict of interest and other unethical violations.
The board spent the 2003-04 school year working to get off probation, including 144 hours of training. In June 2005, the district came off probation.
ATLANTA JOURNAL CONSTITUTION
Friday, August 22, 2008
SWEET DREAMS: A RURAL APPROACH TO DIABETES EDUCATION
In addition to this prevalence data, other health risks such as high rates of obesity, little physical activity, high poverty levels, and the racial composition of the populations make it clear that diabetes is a serious health issue for Cook and Berrien Counties. According to the 2008 publication of the Georgia Health Disparities Report, both Berrien and Cook Counties received a grade of F in the category of primary care access for minority groups. Additional medical resources are a necessity in these two counties if they have any hope of combating this chronic disease. Therefore, health care representatives from the two counties will form a consortium to address this growing problem as a team. This consortium will join a diabetes education and prevention program called Sweet Dreams that originated in 2006 in Ben Hill and Irwin Counties.
The target population will include individuals who have been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes and the general public who need education about forming healthy lifestyle behaviors that will lower their risk of becoming diabetic. An emphasis will be placed on those who do not have insurance and/or who live in poverty. The goals of the project will be to reduce the number of hospitalizations resulting from diabetes or diabetic complications in Berrien, Cook, Irwin and Ben Hill counties by 10%, to increase healthy lifestyle behaviors among residents, and to reduce the incidence of Type 2 Diabetes in these counties through awareness of prevention strategies.
Grant funds will be used to provide expanded educational classes for diabetics, including individual and group nutritional counseling, and community education programs for the public that will be offered to groups such as churches and senior citizen centers. This will include a salary for a nurse with a background in diabetes education and a part time Nutritionist/Registered Dietitian to provide most of the education with the assistance of peer educators. Peer educators will be trained in the prevention and treatment of Type 2 Diabetes and will be awarded a stipend for providing education services to their community. The nurse will also serve as the Project Coordinator.
A major concern in these communities is the inability of diabetics to afford the growing costs of medications and other related medical supplies. Therefore, a system will be developed and funded through this program to assist patients in accessing financial assistance for their diabetic medications and supplies. A salary for an administrative assistant will also come from the grant funds. This assistant will work with the medication assistance program along with assisting the project coordinator with
collecting data and performing other clerical duties for the project.
A detailed time line and budget will be formulated using Sweet Dreams current project in addition to the recommendations provided by the Berrien and Cook Counties consortium. A tentative date for the first meeting of this consortium is scheduled for September 9, 2008 from 12:00 until 1:00 PM at the Adel Memorial Hospital.
Together we can make a difference.
Bridget Walters, RN, BSN
Diabetes Nurse Educator, Sweet Dreams
407 West 4th Street
Ocilla, Georgia 31774
229-468-5891
bmwalters@dhr.state.ga.us
Friday, August 15, 2008
2008 21st Century Community Learning Centers Grant Update
It's official, we've been awarded the new round of 21st Century grants. This will infuse our afterschool programs with approximately $350,000 per year for the next 3-years.
Thanks for the support.
YT,
Matt Jansen
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Sen. Goggans is GA Dental Association’s Legislator of the Year
“Senator Goggans genuinely cares about the health and well-being of Georgians, and particularly about our children,” said Martha Phillips, Georgia Dental Association executive director. “If it was within his power, he would make sure that no child goes without necessary healthcare. He is always interested to hear from healthcare advocates who want to discuss pressing issues and you take comfort after each conversation knowing he understands your concerns.”
The Georgia Dental Association’s Legislator of the Year award is presented to legislators who make significant and distinctive contributions to the legislative causes of the Dental Association. In 2008, Sen. Goggans worked tirelessly on House Bill 1234 to provide stability to the state Medicaid program. Many healthcare providers and the patients they serve in Georgia say they have benefited from this legislation.
“One of the reasons that we run for office is to help Georgia children and families,” Sen. Goggans said. “That is why this award is such an honor for me, because my peers have recognized my efforts to help families in our state.”
# # # #
Sen. Greg Goggans represents the 7th Senate District which includes Atkinson, Bacon, Berrien, Clinch, Coffee, Echols, Lanier, Pierce, and Ware counties and a portion of Cook County.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Governor Perdue Announces July Revenue Figures
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
Sonny Perdue
GOVERNOR
For Immediate Release Contact: Office of Communications, (404) 651-7774
Monday, August 11, 2008 Charles Willey, DOR, (404) 417-2106
ATLANTA – Governor Sonny Perdue announced today that net revenue collections for the month of July 2008 (FY09) totaled $1,213,291,000 compared to $1,299,683,000 for July 2007 (FY08), a decrease of $86,391,000 or 6.6 percent.
July is the first month of Fiscal Year 2009. The percentage decrease year-to-date for FY09 compared to FY08 is 6.6 percent.
Friday, August 8, 2008
CASA Coming to Alapaha Judicial Circuit
Monday, July 28, 2008
South Georgia at the State Capitol
The 2009 Fiscal Year – Problems and Possible Solutions
By State Sen. Greg Goggans
Policymakers and the public are becoming aware of the shortfall in the just completed fiscal year and have grasped the fact that substantial funds were used from the Shortfall Reserve Fund to balance the state’s books at the end of June. They are also aware that a substantial amount remains in the fund ($902 million) as we begin the fiscal year. Citizens do understand that the economy has rapidly slowed and consequently state revenues have declined even faster and more deeply than first believed.
There is a feeling that revenues are flat going into this year and that the budget may have to be cut to keep expenditures on an even keel. However, a common misconception is that a combination of state budget cuts (excluding education and Medicaid) and the use of funds from the State Reserve fund will be sufficient for the next year.
That scenario could play out exactly like the description above, but that is far from a certainty. Here are some points to consider:
1. The trend line of revenues for the past few months is generally down and with no leveling – meaning that we do not know if the bottom of the slide has been reached. In 2002-03, the state went through an entire year of negative revenue figures.
2. The 2009 budget contains about $700 million in new spending based on original adjusted year-long growth rate projections. But, we start the Fiscal year $763 million short due to last year’s revenues not meeting the FY 2008 estimate. So, the shortfall is really the total of those figures, approaching $1.5 billion. Of course that figure would be reduced by any positive growth in the next 12 months.
This is where we stand today. What could increase the shortfall would be ongoing negative revenue collections month by month. These numbers, then, assume a flat or no growth rate in the coming year, which is certainly not a sure thing.
Governor Perdue has asked Executive Branch departments to begin formalizing 3.5 percent budget cuts in the FY ‘09 Budget. But with education and Medicaid currently exempt from these reductions, these cuts will only accumulate about $250 million dollars. For example, 3.5 percent is a $40 million cut to the Department of Corrections. The Board of Regents’ 3.5 percent amounts to an $80.5 million cut. These cuts are substantive but they may not be enough.
The public should be reassured that the state has weathered stormy weather before and survived by using reserves and judiciously but fairly cutting budgets. Here are some points to consider in the weeks ahead:
1. The easiest cuts to be made are those cuts of new funds not yet expended. The new funding added in the 2009 budget for whatever reason are easier cuts to make than those of existing programs. Some growth areas of the 2009 budget are: DHR $70 million plus, Department of Education, $420 plus million, Board of Regents, $150 million plus, Department of Corrections, $60 million, Department of Community Health, $110 million, just to name some of the top agencies in new funding.
2. Is this a good time for a zero-based budgeting analysis of programs across state government to find non-productive or wasteful programs, and can departments be depended upon to make those decisions?
3. Another possible area of savings might be to delay or reduce capital outlay bonds for new construction of schools, colleges and state buildings. While this totals over $112 million in cash, one negative impact would be the loss of stimulus to the economy from the construction expenditures.
4. Included in the new spending is, of course, pay increases totaling some $253 million for teachers, faculty and state employees. These funds will go straight out into the community through expenditures, but, nevertheless, that is a large number included in new funding in the ‘09 budget.
There is plenty of evidence that Georgia will rebound strongly. The question is just how soon. Georgians should not fear the future because this state’s best days are ahead of us, even as we ponder difficult short-term decisions. It’s just time to tighten the belt.
As always, I’d like to thank members of the Senate staff, who contribute regularly to my column. Please contact me in my office at the Capitol with your questions, comments or concerns.
Sen. Greg Goggans represents the 7th Senate District, which includes Atkinson, Bacon, Berrien, Clinch, Coffee, Echols, Lanier, Pierce and Ware counties and a portion of Cook County.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Governor Perdue Announces New Certified
Work Ready Community Commitments, Grants
Nearly 70 Percent of Georgia Communities Will Be Certified Work Ready
ATLANTA – Governor Sonny Perdue announced 34 additional Georgia counties have made a commitment to earning Certified Work Ready Community status as a means to drive the state's economic development and ensure citizens have the skills necessary to succeed.
"In less than two years, Work Ready has helped transform our state and make our workforce our number one competitive advantage," said Governor Perdue. "This initiative is creating new opportunities for Georgia workers and ensuring our state's employers have a stable, talented workforce to help them succeed."
The state's newest Certified Work Ready Communities in-progress include: Berrien, Bleckley, Bryan, Camden, Candler, Cherokee, Colquitt, Crawford, DeKalb, Dodge, Early, Effingham, Emanuel, Habersham, Henry, Jeff Davis, Johnson, Liberty, Lincoln, McDuffie, Morgan, Pulaski, Rabun, Randolph, Screven, Taylor, Telfair, Terrell, Treutlen, Turner, Wheeler, White, Wilkinson and Worth counties.
To be designated a Certified Work Ready Community, counties must drive current workers and the available workforce to earn Work Ready Certificates, demonstrate a commitment to improving public high school graduation rates and build community commitment for meeting these goals. Each community must create a team of economic development, workforce, education and community partners to work together to meet the certification criteria.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
South Georgia at the State Capitol
June revenue figures show continued economic slump
By State Sen. Greg Goggans
Evidence of the nation’s economic problems could be seen in the Fiscal Year 2008 state revenues, which were release last week. Revenue numbers fell into negative territory for the first time in five years, as the June figures closed out the fiscal year. While it recently became apparent that the state would not make the revenue growth estimate and that dipping into the reserves would be necessary, the June revenues were a negative $168 million in what was expected by many to be a positive revenue month. Thus, Georgia will be forced to draw down reserves of $590 million out of the $1.5 billion total to balance the books for FY ‘08.
There are some positive things about this result news:
- Unlike the federal government, Georgia must balance its books yearly and cannot just continue spending or printing money. So, the state faces its problems head on and takes the action necessary to balance its budget.
- Due to the foresight of Governor Sonny Perdue and legislative leadership, Georgia has a robust revenue shortfall reserve and the $590 million will not present a problem.
- The Legislature did not listen last session to those who proposed huge tax cuts funded out of the Reserve fund.
June revenue report
June revenues were down from June 2007 by $168 million. For the first time, it seems individual income taxes did not drive the month’s revenue. A small increase of 1.7 percent was recorded in that area, but the $13 million gain was washed away by a $97 million reduction in sales tax revenues. Another oddity was that the 15 percent of the budget made up of other revenues, including corporate income taxes, tobacco taxes, alcohol taxes and motor vehicle fees, combined for a negative total of some $82 million. This caused a substantial increase in the deficit for the month. So, FY ‘08 went out with a whimper ($1.68 billion in total revenues), compared to 2007 when the fiscal year closed with a huge month of almost $1.8 billion in revenues.
FY 2008 revenue report
FY 2008 total revenues showed a drop of -$189,975 over 2007. If the Governor’s revenue estimate had been met, total revenues would have shown an increase of $703,147,357. And this was after a $245 million reduction in the revenue estimate during the 2008 Session.
Personal Income taxes were up only marginally at 0.3 percent or only $24 million. Every other revenue category was negative for the year. For example, sales taxes were down by -$134,652 when the payout to local governments was calculated.
Incidentally, local governments are the beneficiary of rising food prices. The 3 percent sales tax that the state collects and distributes to local governments rose by $74 million in FY 2008 and this is most likely tied to food sales tax collection.
Other sales tax categories showed decreases over 2007 including automotive at -0.7 percent, home furnishings at -1.0 percent, lumber at -13.4 percent and manufacturing at -2.7 percent. Recent years had shown high, single-digit increases in these categories. Tobacco and alcohol taxes also showed decreases for the year.
Corporate income taxes, a growing category in the past few years, slumped to a decrease of $76 million or -7.5 percent. This total of $943 million fell below the $1 billion total in 2007.
Fuel taxes reflected decreasing tax collections for the excise tax on per gallon sales, going down by 4.1 percent or -$20 million for the year. As the price for fuel rose, the sales tax (now capped) rose also. This amounted to a $92 million increase over 2007 for a net total going to the roads and bridges budget of $72 million or $1.01 billion for the year.
In all, FY ’09 has begun with the state in an unenviable position. If the 2009 budget were being written today, there would be no new funds appropriated and the budget would be flat. But the 2009 budget actually contains expected new funds that will likely not be there. One thing is clear, it will be necessary to make some difficult decisions over the next 12 months without an upturn in the economy. However, because of the fiscal stewardship of state leaders, Georgia is in a much better position than other states in the nation, and ready to bounce back when the time is right.
As always, I’d like to thank members of the Senate staff, who contribute regularly to my column. Please contact me in my office at the Capitol with your questions, comments or concerns.
# # # #
Sen. Greg Goggans represents the 7th Senate District, which includes Atkinson, Bacon, Berrien, Clinch, Coffee, Echols, Lanier, Pierce and Ware counties and a portion of Cook County
Monday, July 14, 2008
Governor Perdue Announces 112 High Performance Principals
ATLANTA – Governor Sonny Perdue and State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox announced the names of 112 High Performance Principals that have overseen dramatic improvements in student achievement in Georgia public schools.
"These outstanding educators have fostered school environments that are conducive to student achievement," said Governor Perdue. "As I have often said, it is important to keep score, measure results and then recognize success. These principals have excelled in their efforts, and I am pleased to honor them with the designation of High Performance Principal."
Governor Perdue introduced the High Performance Principal program in 2006 to recognize excellent school leaders.
"As a teacher for 15 years, I know the huge impact a great principal can have on a school," said Superintendent Cox. "Year after year, our High Performance Principals have been getting the job done by empowering teachers, engaging parents and inspiring students."
Three criteria were used to identify possible High Performance Principals:
- Data: The data must show that a principal led improvement at a low-performing school or brought a good school to a higher level
- Longevity: The principal must have been assigned to his or her school for at least three consecutive years
- Recommendation: The principal must be recommended for the designation by his or her school system.
Below are the names of the principals earning the "High Performance Principal" designation for 2008:
PRINCIPAL NAME, SYSTEM NAME, SCHOOL NAME
Proctor, Dennis Lewis, Berrien County, Berrien Middle School
Evans, Bernadette G., Coffee County, Ambrose Elementary School
Davis, Bainard M., Coffee County, Eastside Elementary School
Harper, Sue S., Coffee County, Satilla Elementary School
Smith, Harry Anthony, Pierce County, Pierce County High School
Tanner, Darlene C., Ware County, Ware Magnet School
--
Marion Curry
GA Family Connection Partnership
Community Facilitator, Region 11
South Georgia at the State Capitol
By State Sen. Greg Goggans
As the 2008 fiscal year closed June 30, one thing is certain, the economists predicting Georgia’s growth for this fiscal year have been wrong, even as recently as March when the Governor lowered the revenue estimate for FY ‘09 by $245 million. The economists were confident FY ‘08 revenue growth would be within distance of balancing with maybe a $100 million shortfall. The final FY ‘08 figures will be released soon, and the state will likely have to dip into its reserves for FY ‘09. This continued decline in revenues means the 2009 budget could be overspent by $600 million.
Governor Perdue has directed state agencies to make significant budget reductions in their 2010 annual budget requests due in September. Additionally, the Governor has asked state agencies to reduce spending in the amended FY ‘09 budget by 3.5 percent of the amount budgeted for FY ‘09. Agencies have also been directed to make additional cuts in the FY ‘10 general budget.
Georgia is not alone in having to cut government spending. States across the nation are feeling the effects of the economic slowdown. The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities in Washington, DC reports that 29 states and the District of Columbia are facing revenue shortfalls in FY ‘09. They also reported that three additional states will face budget shortfalls in FY ‘10.
This week, we’ll take a look at some of the other Southeastern states, and how their budgets compare to that of the state of Georgia.
North Carolina ($21.4 billion total budget)
North Carolina uses a two-year budget system. Recently, the North Carolina Legislature reached an agreement on its FY ‘08-‘09 budget. Though the adjustments still await the Governor’s signature, the version passed by the Legislature indicates rough financial times. Tax collections were $63 million short of estimates.
Florida ($66 Billion total budget)
In June, Florida passed its budget for FY ’09, which overall is $4 billion less than FY ‘08. Florida does not have a personal income tax, and the state has seen a downturn in general sales and corporate income taxes. Overall, $1 billion was cut from public education. Tuition to Florida’s public universities and community colleges will increase by 6 percent. Spending per public school pupil will fall by $131 per student, following a decrease of $185 per pupil in the previous budget. The state prison system is reducing staff by 400 employees, including probation officers, prison teachers and chaplains.
Alabama ($11.4 billion general budget, $12.6 billion education budget)
Though Alabama’s fiscal year does not start until October 1, state leaders are already preparing for some difficult decisions. Alabama’s Legislative Fiscal Office anticipates that revenues for the state’s two main funds will drop by approximately $800 million. In addition, the Governor may have to utilize $428 million from the rainy day fund to avoid current year budget cuts between now and September 30.
Tennessee is also facing tough financial times. The state’s Finance Commissioner described Memphis and Chattanooga as being some of the “hardest hit in the nation” by the sub-prime mortgage crisis. Anticipated revenues are down $494 million for FY ‘08. Mississippi passed a 2009 budget with a decrease of one percent. Virginia amended its FY ‘08 budget and reduced spending by 2.2 percent.
We can see from these numbers that Georgia is in a good financial situation when compared to some of our neighbors. Much of this is because of fiscally responsible decision-making by Governor Perdue and other leaders. However, it is clear that uncertain times lie ahead. Until the economic slide reverses itself and an upward trend is established, state leadership may be forced to operate on a “pay as you go” basis.
As always, I’d like to thank members of the Senate staff, who contribute regularly to my column. Please contact me in my office at the Capitol with your questions, comments or concerns.
# # # #
Sen. Greg Goggans represents the 7th Senate District, which includes Atkinson, Bacon, Berrien, Clinch, Coffee, Echols, Lanier, Pierce and Ware counties and a portion of Cook County.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Georgia schools gain 'No Child Left Behind' freedom
The Associated Press
Published on: 07/01/08
Washington — Six states are getting the OK to write their own prescriptions for ailing schools under the Bush administration's signature education law.
It's a softening from how No Child Left Behind currently works — with schools having to take certain steps at specific times for missing math and reading testing goals. Critics have complained that the approach is too rigid and treats schools the same regardless of whether they miss the mark by a little or a lot.
The states getting more freedom under a pilot program are Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Illinois, Maryland and Ohio. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings plans to make the announcement during a speech Tuesday in Austin, Texas.
The states that won approval have come up with plans to more closely tailor solutions to individual schools' problems and focus resources on schools in the worst shape.
"We expect to see a closer fit between the causes of school underperformance and a focused attention at repairing those sources of failure," said Margaret Raymond, director of an education think tank at Stanford University and the chair of a panel that reviewed the state proposals.
Examples of changes the states plan to make include requiring schools to offer tutoring earlier than is currently called for and a greater reliance, in Indiana for example, on testing throughout the year to catch academic weak spots.
In Georgia, schools will be able to become charter schools, which are public but operate with broad independence, earlier than is currently called for, said the state's superintendent of schools, Kathy Cox.
Maryland is placing more emphasis on training principals. It's common under the law for failing schools to replace their principals. "We think principal leadership is key. It's not just changing a principal, it's ensuring principals have the necessary skill sets," said Maryland schools superintendent Nancy Grasmick.
Some critics worry the changes, specifically the focus on the worst-performing schools, will take the pressure off schools that are generally doing well but having trouble with one group of students — such as a minority group or kids with disabilities.
"I don't think it's taking the pressure off. I think it's allowing focus," Cox said.
Spellings has said up to 10 states will be allowed to try to participate in the pilot program. The Education Department plans to review additional state proposals this fall.
The six states that won approval were among 17 that sought it.
The states that didn't win approval were Alaska, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
Spellings said in an interview that the efforts by the states that won approval to try new approaches will be closely watched and will shape any future rewrite of the six-year-old No Child law.
"We're trying to set the table for a strong and sensible reauthorization," Spellings said. "We're going to learn some things."
Monday, June 30, 2008
Budget fix shifts millions from state mental health care services
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 06/30/08
Gov. Sonny Perdue succeeded Monday in rounding up enough votes to shift millions of dollars away from mental health care to fill other holes in the state budget.
The potential shift comes at a time when the federal government is investigating problems in the state's treatment of Georgians with mental illnesses.
A fiscal affairs committee made up of top lawmakers voted 8-4 earlier this month to shift $6.6 million budgeted for children's mental health services to help cover shortages in other Department of Human Resources programs. Perdue said the shift wouldn't prevent the state from meeting the needs of mentally ill children.
However, Perdue's Office of Planning and Budget discovered that state law requires 11 committee votes to approve the transfer. So lawmakers had to vote again. They did so during a telephone conference call on Monday, the final day of the state's fiscal year.
Some of those opposing the transfer didn't take part in the meeting this time, and others who were absent at the earlier meeting voted Monday. The shift was approved 15-0.
Besides the $6.6 million, $1.8 million in mental health money was shifted earlier this month to other DHR programs on a separate vote. That vote was not contested.
Mental health advocates had hoped the revote would give lawmakers a chance to rethink the issue.
The vote came only a few weeks after the U.S. Department of Justice sent a blistering letter to the governor about "critically deficient" conditions at the state mental hospital in Atlanta.
Care in the adolescent unit at Georgia Regional Hospital/Atlanta, in particular, drew strong criticism. The letter quoted one employee of the unit as saying patients "would be safer outside" the hospital, and another who described "continuing clinical chaos."
Perdue said the $6.6 million was needed to fill holes in the Department of Human Resources' budget. He said the state overbudgeted for mental health services, and the leftover money would have lapsed if it's not used this fiscal year to cover deficits in child welfare and adoption services programs.
But officials with the community services boards that deliver mental health care said they believe state law allows them to carry over money to the next fiscal year and use it.
Mental health advocates say the money could help the state cover unmet mental health needs.