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AJC.com > Legislature > Blog > Archives > 2009 > February > 06 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USSenate leaders look down on stimulus relief
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia is facing a steep $2 billion budget deficit, but Senate Republicans say they’re not waiting for a fix from Washington.
Or are they?
The Senate voted today to approve House Resolution 238, which would convene the General Assembly only three days a week until March 25. Senators would return in late June to close the session.
The delay would give them time to make changes to the state budget if revenue numbers continue to fall as they have, Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock) said.
It could also give legislators time to see what kind of stimulus money could trickle down to Georgia.
But both Rogers and Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle said Friday the lengthy legislative delay has nothing to do with waiting for stimulus money.
Rogers referred to the stimulus package as a “bogus loan program” that would be placed “on our children’s backs.”
“We’re not looking to see what the stimulus does,” Rogers said.
“My intent is not to wait,” Cagle said.
“It’s not going to give us an enormous amount of budgeting relief,” Cagle said of the stimulus money.
Larry Pellegrini, a lobbyist for the Georgia Rural Urban Summit and a regular in the halls of the Capitol, said Republican leaders don’t appear to have reached out to their federal brethren for inside information on how much money Georgia could get.
“It just seems like attitude,” Pellegrini said of the snubbing of stimulus money.
“They should be trying to get some clues right now so they can put together a better budget.”
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