Gov. Nathan Deal signed an election-friendly budget into law Monday that offers a range of perks to educators, farmers and even the Atlanta Falcons.
The fiscal 2015 spending plan, a $20.8 billion blueprint which takes effect July 1, puts more than $300 million extra into schools with the goal of eliminating furloughs, lengthening the school year and giving teachers pay raises.
It also pumps more than $800 million into construction projects to build new schools, college buildings and the effort to deepen Savannah’s port. And it provides extra funding for a program that markets Georgia farm products as well as health care programs for teachers and state employees
One of the more surprising late additions to the budget, though, is a $17 million request by the World Congress Center for a parking deck near the new Falcons stadium. Deal has said it would also provide parking for downtown attractions, such as the new College Football Hall of Fame.
Deal said in an interview Monday that the budget is a sign that Georgia’s economy is on the rebound. He said state coffers are on track to grow more than 5 percent when compared to the last fiscal year, and more money could soon be set aside in Georgia’s emergency reserves if the pace continues.
“Every indication is that our income is going to continue to increase at the state level,” he said.
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