Most years the state takes in an extra $700 million to $900 million in tax collections, but proposals sent to Gov. Nathan Deal’s budget office show most of that money is all but spent for next year.
The boards that run schools, universities and the public health system have, combined, spoken for about $750 million of increased spending for the upcoming year. The money will go to pay for increased enrollment in K12 schools and universities, and the rising cost of Medicaid, the state-federal health care program for the poor and disabled.
More than half of the new money for education would go to prop up the state’s pension system for teachers and university employees.
All that spending may keep lawmakers from being able to do things they’d rather do in an election year, which 2018 will be: give big pay raises to teachers and cut income taxes.
To read more about where the money is going, check out our story at myajc.com.
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