Thursday, January 11, 2007 - 04:44 PM
Measures to promote tourism and land conservation joined the usual big-ticket spending on health care and education in Gov. Sonny Perdue's State of the State address today.
Perdue proposed spending $19 million on "Go Fish, Georgia," a plan to create a 15-site bass trail across the state.
"Fishing is a huge industry in the South, and we're behind many of our neighbors in attracting those anglers," Perdue said. "We will no longer sit idly by and watch as tourists drive through Georgia on their way to surrounding states to fish."
The governor also touted $50 million for the state's land conservation program and pledged $5 million to preserve and restore Civil War battle sites.
Perdue also proposed a 3 percent raise for teachers; footing the bill for $176 million in increases to the state's health-care program for employees; and setting aside $100 million to begin to account for future insurance costs for state retirees.
As part of "Go Fish Georgia," Perdue wants to create world-class resources for fishing and boating enthusiasts, with new ramps along a bass trail that will include 15 sites on Georgia's major rivers and reservoirs capable of hosting large bass tournaments.
"With premier tournaments generating upwards of $20 million each, we know these are sound investments," said Perdue, an avid fisherman. "Fishing is a huge industry in the South, and we are behind many of our neighbors in attracting anglers. We will no longer sit by and watch as tourists drive through Georgia on their way to surrounding states to fish."
Glenn Dowling with the Georgia Wildlife Federation pointed out that more than 1 million Georgians voted last year for the constitutional amendment to protect the rights of hunters and anglers. According to state officials, about one in six Georgians fishes.
In other areas of the budget, education would get a big chunk of the extra spending.
Teachers, bus drivers and lunchroom workers would get 3 percent cost-of-living raises. Teachers would also get a $100 gift card to pay for supplies, as they did this year. In addition, the state would borrow $417 million to pay for new schools.
Under the budget plan, the average Georgia teacher would get about a $1,400 cost-of-living raise next year. More than half of the state's 100,000 teachers would also get a 3 percent longevity raise.
The state's 100,000 employees would also get 3 percent raises. Some would get more through merit raises and extra money set aside for workers who are significantly underpaid compared with similar workers in the private sector.
Colleges would get $228 million in construction, including money for a new pharmacy college at the University of Georgia, for a health sciences building at Kennesaw State University and for a library at Georgia Gwinnett College. Georgia Gwinnett College would also get an extra $10 million to help with its start-up.
The governor had announced a few of his proposals previously. For instance, he said Tuesday that he wants to put $5.1 million into increased efforts to sell Georgia products around the globe, especially in Asia and Canada.
On the campaign trail last fall, he promised to eliminate taxes on retirement income, which will already be tax-free up to $35,000 per person starting next year. Almost $48 million in his midyear spending plan would go for infrastructure improvements and a training center for the new Kia car plant in west Georgia.
The state would also set aside $100 million during the upcoming fiscal year in a trust fund to pay for the future health care costs of retired state employees and teachers. That tab could reach $20 billion over 30 years.
Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle praised Perdue for placing a priority on preserving the environment and budgeting money for graduation coaches in middle schools.
"It is very clear that the governor has been a very good steward of public resources," Cagle said. House Speaker Glenn Richardson (R-Hiram) also praised Perdue's speech.
"I think they are very good proposals and they show he is moving Georgia forward," Richardson said. "I am excited about land conservation, not just because there is a huge project in my county where the voters approved it. For all of Georgia, we need to conserve land."
Senate Minority Leader Robert Brown (D-Macon) was less impressed.
"Same soup, different bowl," Brown said. "I didn't hear much new that I hadn't heard before.
"Basically, what he's talked about is 'my priorities are education.' But then the initiatives that he talked about are the ones that were already in place."
Measures to promote tourism and land conservation joined the usual big-ticket spending on health care and education in Gov. Sonny Perdue's State of the State address today.
Perdue proposed spending $19 million on "Go Fish, Georgia," a plan to create a 15-site bass trail across the state.
"Fishing is a huge industry in the South, and we're behind many of our neighbors in attracting those anglers," Perdue said. "We will no longer sit idly by and watch as tourists drive through Georgia on their way to surrounding states to fish."
The governor also touted $50 million for the state's land conservation program and pledged $5 million to preserve and restore Civil War battle sites.
Perdue also proposed a 3 percent raise for teachers; footing the bill for $176 million in increases to the state's health-care program for employees; and setting aside $100 million to begin to account for future insurance costs for state retirees.
As part of "Go Fish Georgia," Perdue wants to create world-class resources for fishing and boating enthusiasts, with new ramps along a bass trail that will include 15 sites on Georgia's major rivers and reservoirs capable of hosting large bass tournaments.
"With premier tournaments generating upwards of $20 million each, we know these are sound investments," said Perdue, an avid fisherman. "Fishing is a huge industry in the South, and we are behind many of our neighbors in attracting anglers. We will no longer sit by and watch as tourists drive through Georgia on their way to surrounding states to fish."
Glenn Dowling with the Georgia Wildlife Federation pointed out that more than 1 million Georgians voted last year for the constitutional amendment to protect the rights of hunters and anglers. According to state officials, about one in six Georgians fishes.
In other areas of the budget, education would get a big chunk of the extra spending.
Teachers, bus drivers and lunchroom workers would get 3 percent cost-of-living raises. Teachers would also get a $100 gift card to pay for supplies, as they did this year. In addition, the state would borrow $417 million to pay for new schools.
Under the budget plan, the average Georgia teacher would get about a $1,400 cost-of-living raise next year. More than half of the state's 100,000 teachers would also get a 3 percent longevity raise.
The state's 100,000 employees would also get 3 percent raises. Some would get more through merit raises and extra money set aside for workers who are significantly underpaid compared with similar workers in the private sector.
Colleges would get $228 million in construction, including money for a new pharmacy college at the University of Georgia, for a health sciences building at Kennesaw State University and for a library at Georgia Gwinnett College. Georgia Gwinnett College would also get an extra $10 million to help with its start-up.
The governor had announced a few of his proposals previously. For instance, he said Tuesday that he wants to put $5.1 million into increased efforts to sell Georgia products around the globe, especially in Asia and Canada.
On the campaign trail last fall, he promised to eliminate taxes on retirement income, which will already be tax-free up to $35,000 per person starting next year. Almost $48 million in his midyear spending plan would go for infrastructure improvements and a training center for the new Kia car plant in west Georgia.
The state would also set aside $100 million during the upcoming fiscal year in a trust fund to pay for the future health care costs of retired state employees and teachers. That tab could reach $20 billion over 30 years.
Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle praised Perdue for placing a priority on preserving the environment and budgeting money for graduation coaches in middle schools.
"It is very clear that the governor has been a very good steward of public resources," Cagle said. House Speaker Glenn Richardson (R-Hiram) also praised Perdue's speech.
"I think they are very good proposals and they show he is moving Georgia forward," Richardson said. "I am excited about land conservation, not just because there is a huge project in my county where the voters approved it. For all of Georgia, we need to conserve land."
Senate Minority Leader Robert Brown (D-Macon) was less impressed.
"Same soup, different bowl," Brown said. "I didn't hear much new that I hadn't heard before.
"Basically, what he's talked about is 'my priorities are education.' But then the initiatives that he talked about are the ones that were already in place."