ATLANTA — Senators began work Monday adjusting the budget passed by the House last week, but leaders said it’s too early to tell how much they will try to restore of the $140 million cut from school funding.
House members said Gov. Sonny Perdue’s revised revenue projections meant the House could put back only $90 million for schools.
The House leadership had pledged to restore all the cuts Gov. Perdue made to the Quality Basic Education formula for the budget year that begins July 1.
House financial leaders suggested the Senate might be able to find the additional money when it took up the budget measure, which must originate in the House.
But Senate President Pro Tem Eric Johnson, R-Savannah, said Monday he’s unsure if the Senate will agree with the House changes.
“The $90 million that they put in looks artificial,” Sen. Johnson said.
He said the House made drastic reductions to the Department of Corrections and to Georgia’s share of Medicaid funding. Sen. Johnson said the House move could force closure of some state prisons.
There has been extensive talk about relieving education from the continued austerity cuts that have been made since the Perdue administration took office during tough economic times in 2003.
About $1 billion has been cut from education over those five years. As a result, educators are saying they don’t have money for basic needs such as textbooks.
In a Senate Appropriations subcommittee meeting Monday, Department of Education officials said they agreed with House changes to the department’s more than $8 billion budget, but were concerned about cuts in an academic coach program.
However, they said they were glad to see money allotted to start a math mentors program, modeled after the successful science mentors program.
“The change in revenue projections did cause the House to take a different look at the budget,” said Stuart Bennett, chief deputy superintendent of schools.
He said the department understands the need to reduce funds to certain programs, and, “We understand the need to restore austerity cuts.”
Sen. Dan Moody, R-Alpharetta, who is chairman of the subcommittee, said it’s education is a priority but it will be difficult to find other places to cut.
“The House has done a good job analyzing the department’s budget,” Sen. Moody said. “There’s not a whole lot of other low-hanging fruit. That’s what we’re looking at.”
Sen. Johnson said the full Senate should vote the fiscal ’09 budget by Friday.
