Senator Greg Dolezal: We're Focused On Budget Week

By: Sen. Greg Dolezal (R - Cumming)

After taking Monday to reflect on the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the Senate returned on Tuesday ready to get back to work. While the week may have been a brief one, we stayed busy focusing solely on budget hearings and determining the best way to be careful stewards of Georgia’s finances.

While all of the work done under the Gold Dome is important, the budget is arguably the single most important item we will discuss during the session. The budget process starts with the Governor’s budget recommendations, which were presented to a joint meeting of the Senate and the House Appropriations Committees this week. Among these proposals were many items that Gov. Kemp discussed during his State of the State address such as $68.3 million for school safety grants and a $3,000 pay raise for certified public school teachers in Georgia. The bulk of the Governor’s proposed budget (over $15 billion for FY2020 or nearly 53% of our state’s appropriated funds) will go towards education, while areas such health care, public safety and agriculture make up most of the remainder.

As it currently stands, Georgia’s amended budget for the 2019 fiscal year is estimated at $26.9 billion and the 2020 fiscal year budget is estimated at $27.5 billion. For those of us in the legislature, this number represents a huge responsibility. We know that we have an obligation to each and every hardworking Georgian who contributes to that total and we will see to it that these dollars are allocated in a principled and efficient manner.

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Throughout the remainder of Budget Week, we heard from the heads of various state agencies and departments as they discussed their budgetary requests for the remainder of the 2019 fiscal year, as well as the 2020 fiscal year. Ultimately, these requests will be turned into two pieces of legislation: House Bill 30 and House Bill 31. The reason the budget is one of the most impactful pieces of legislation that we work on is because passing a balanced budget is the only constitutional duty required of the General Assembly. As we move further along in the budget process, I will be sure to keep everyone in District 27 in the loop on any significant projects or improvements that are proposed for our community.

Next week, the Senate will convene for our next three Legislative Days on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Committee meetings also begin this week, which will dramatically increase our workload at the Capitol.

Photo courtesy Georgia Senate Press Office