Carter files resolution on education budget

A day after denouncing the education proposals of Gov. Nathan Deal, Democratic challenger and state Sen. Jason Carter, D-Atlanta, filed a resolution to make permanent his proposal to prioritize education spending statewide.

Senate Resolution 750 would ask Georgia voters to approve a constitutional change that would make legislators separate education funding from the rest of the state’s budget. He has called it a proposed “trust fund for education that will keep the politicians from raiding it to pay for other things.”

Under the resolution, the Legislature every year would be forced to consider the state budget in two parts. The first part would be for education. Once that had been approved, the Gold Dome would move on to funding the rest of government.

House Democrats indicated Thursday that they supported Carter’s push, with House Minority Whip Carolyn Hugley, D-Columbus, attending Carter’s announcement about the legislation.

Still, SR 750 stands very little chance of moving forward and will mainly serve as a platform for Carter during the legislative session. Constitutional amendments need two-thirds support, or a supermajority, in both chambers to get on the ballot. Republicans own a supermajority in the Senate and are only a seat short of a supermajority in the House.