State legislators spent the week learning more about the Governor’s budget proposal from state agency heads who testified at committee meetings. ACCG also took an in-depth look at the FY2012 Amended Budget and the proposed FY2013 budget to determine areas that will impact local governments.

While the budgets of many agencies appeared to have increased, closer inspection reveals that the state has made adjustments to cover expenditures such as workers’ compensation and technology that will not result in direct program spending. In addition, funding was also shifted from one agency to another in many areas. However, several programs of interest did receive funding, including $20 million in funding for OneGeorgia for rural economic development ($10 million in the Amended Budget and $10 million in the FY2013 Budget), $10 million in grants for accountability courts, $44 million in bonds for the GeorgiaFund and the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority Water Supply Program and increased funding for the Jail Subsidy Program.

To see more information on items in the state budget of interest to counties, click here.