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AJC.com > Legislature > Blog > Archives > 2007 > March > 08
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Spending plan includes local projects
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
House leaders who have complained for weeks about the federal government not supplying enough money for PeachCare were considering adding local pork projects to the mid-year budget this morning.
The General Assembly put a hold on the 2007 session in hopes Congress would come up with $131 million needed to help keep PeachCare in the black. The PeachCare program provides health insurance to 273,000 children of working poor families.
Lawmakers are concerned that they won’t have enough money to fund the program if Congress doesn’t come through with extra funding in the next few weeks. House leaders have been trimming the mid-year budget to save money in case the state has to put more money into PeachCare.
However, when House leaders met this morning to put final touches on their chamber’s mid-year spending plan, they were presented with a long list of local projects requested by prominent lawmakers. Such local projects are commonly referred to as pork.
A House budget subcommitte recommended $125,000 for the Historic Chattahoochee Commission and $5 million for a national infantry museum, both requested by House Transportation Chairman Vance Smith (R-Pine Mountain).
Another $300,000 would go to the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame at the request of House Appropriations Chairman Ben Harbin (R-Evans).
Still another $100,000 would go to help operate the Warner Robins Air Force base museum, a pet project of House Ways & Means Chairman Larry O’Neal (R-Warner Robins).
Atlanta would not be left out. The subcommittee recommended $350,000 for a proposed new animal hospital at Zoo Atlanta.
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