By LaShawn Hudson, WABE —
Listen to the full episode of “Closer Look” with show host Rose Scott here.
Georgia’s coffers have an overflow of cash. As of October 2023, the state of Georgia had roughly $16 billion in general fund reserves.
Out of that number, $10.7 billion was not earmarked and could be used in a variety of areas. The multibillion-dollar surplus is likely to keep growing if funds are not allocated.
On Monday, Gov. Brian Kemp announced he would give a $1,000 year-end bonus to state, university and public school employees. The governor also proposed a permanent $104 million yearly allocation for school security.
For the first day of “Closer Look’s” two-day series, “Overflow: Examining Georgia’s $11 Billion Surplus,” show host Rose Scott spoke with a Georgia lawmaker and leaders from fiscal watchdog and consumer advocacy groups.
The guests discussed how they think Kemp should spend the surplus dollars to help Georgians.
Guests include:
Staci Fox, the president and CEO of the Georgia Budget & Policy Institute (GBPI)
Georgia House Minority Leader James Beverly
Liz Coyle, the executive director of Georgia Watch
Thomas A. Schatz, the president of Citizens Against Government Waste
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