Rep. Stephens column: Georgia budget review process yields results
Editor’s note: Each Saturday while the Georgia General Assembly is in session, the Savannah Morning News will publish a column written by a member of the Savannah-area legislative delegation.
Last week, the Georgia General Assembly took a break from its normal legislative schedule to give House and Senate budget writers time to carefully consider Gov. Brian Kemp’s budget proposal, weighing the cuts he recommends with what his office believes is an upcoming economic downturn.
Tax revenues were up slightly last month, and the governor is concerned that Georgia’s spending is moving toward being overstretched. Keeping in mind that a large percentage of our state budget is consumed by mandatory federal education and health care spending, we have very little wiggle room to cut funding without feeling some pain.
I believe the changes we made in House Appropriations for the Amended FY 2020 budget reflect the Legislature’s ongoing support of expanded mental health care and crisis intervention services, as well as access to health care, including grants to county health departments and public libraries.
In the area of adult mental health, the House added $5.4 million to the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) for crisis beds and behavioral health care services. The new funding ensures that Georgia maintains its current serving capacity of 4,953 individuals, across 95 crisis beds, in 21 crisis units statewide. In FY 2019, core services aided 109,316 Georgians.
Unfortunately, Georgia’s safety net for the most vulnerable is still working at capacity, with demand growing every day. However, the new core services funding will allow DBHDD to serve an additional 2,320 individuals.
Additionally, our recommendations support the reinstatement of funds to ensure a fully functioning criminal justice system, including adequate funding for public defenders and accountability courts. It is also vital that $800,000 be restored to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s crime labs – including the GBI in Pooler - which have been overwhelmed because of underfunding and are backlogged with processing evidence.
And as the reduction of crime should always be a priority for the well-being of our communities and visitors, I believe it is imperative to restore $1.2 million to win the battle against gang crimes and violence throughout the state.
Restoring these cuts are crucial, and a possible solution to help rebuild our budget is being proposed in House Bill 864, a bill that I cosponsor. This legislation would levy a 7% excise tax on sales on vaping products like e-cigarettes, refillable cartridges, vape pens and electronic hookahs. It would also require businesses that make, market or sell vaping products to acquire an annual license from the Georgia Department of Revenue.
According to state revenue estimators, this levy would yield, through combined tax revenues and licensing fees, an estimated $11.4 million to $17.1 million in the first year the legislation takes effect.
Crafting a fiscally responsible, balanced budget that meets the needs of Georgians is an intricate process and one that every legislator on both sides of the aisle takes very seriously. It’s a privilege and great responsibility to work alongside my colleagues on this process and I am committed to working with integrity, respect for others, and for the betterment of the state I care for deeply.
Rep. Ron Stephens is a Republican who represents Georgia House District 164. Email him at ron.stephens@house.ga.gov.
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