Recent Publications

Newest to Oldest
Oldest to Newest
By Title
First
Prev
Page 1 of 17
Next
Last
Op-Ed: A 1930s Tax Code Can't Cut It in 2010

Georgia's outdated tax system is working against the state. Georgia can get its financial house in order by reforming its tax system. Op-ed by Alan Essig, executive director, as published in the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

Posted: 8/30/2010
Category:

Download Report    |    Email to a friend
Advancing Georgia's 1930s Tax System to the Modern Day

The report offers recommendations to the 2010 Tax Reform Council that stress a workable combination of raising enough money to meet Georgia's needs, updating the system to reflect today's economy, and tying the system more closely to ability to pay.

Posted: 8/25/2010
Category: Taxes,

Download Report    |    Email to a friend
Georgia Once Again Faces Budget Shortfall: Gov Orders Hundreds of Millions of Dollars in More Cuts

As the state begins its 2011 fiscal year it is facing another potential budget shortfall of approx $500 million. This is on top of the $2.5 billion in cuts already implemented since FY 2009. Among the three causes is the failure by Congress to extend the enhanced Medicaid match for states. All departments are affected, including education, public safety, and regulatory watch dog functions. This report references alternative strategies to widespread cuts.

Posted: 7/27/2010
Category: Budget, Family Economic Security,

Download Report    |    Email to a friend
Adding Up the Fiscal Notes 2010: Gov Vetoes Revenue Drains, but Signs Law to Raise Taxes on Poor

The General Assembly passed bills to raise $438 million and improve tax collections during the recent legislative session, but it continued to pass long-term tax cuts in this recession, disregarded other revenue proposals, and shifted taxes onto middle- and low-income Georgians. The governor vetoed a bill with the most costly tax breaks, but signed one that shifts taxes onto those earning the lowest 20 percent of incomes.

Posted: 7/26/2010
Category: Budget, Taxes,

Download Report    |    Email to a friend
State Directs Majority of TANF Funds to Child Welfare Despite Rise in TANF Recipients for FY 2011

Georgia has 13.7% cumulatively less TANF funds than it had to use for families struggling to make ends meet prior to the Great Recession. Even with less available funding and rising poverty, policymakers continue to use 60% of TANF funds to replace state funds for child welfare-related services while cutting TANF funds from state programs that directly satisfy its core self-sufficiency purposes.

Posted: 6/24/2010
Category: Budget, Recovery Act, Family Economic Security, Welfare and Food Stamps

Download Report    |    Email to a friend
Lawmakers Protect Medicaid, Funding Gaps Loom for 2012: Analysis of FY 2011 Healthcare Budgets

Lawmakers cut Department of Community Health by $236.8 million and increased support for the Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Disabilities by 9.3 percent. There are no cuts to Medicaid or PeachCare eligibility; the budget has new revenue from a provider fee to increase reimbursement rates to hospitals. The budget is heavily reliant on enhanced Medicaid funds from the federal Recovery Act that are about to expire.

Posted: 6/21/2010
Category: Budget, Health, Recovery Act,

Download Report    |    Email to a friend
Deep Cuts to Government Mark Fiscal Year 2011, Budget May Yet Be in the Red

The Great Recession has resulted in the worst fiscal crisis in more than 70 years, resulting in multi-billion dollar deficits. Although Recovery Act funds help, lawmakers’ strategy to slash impacts every facet of state government, resulting in severe service cuts as well as layoffs/furloughs of thousands of teachers/employees. The irony is that as Georgia is less equipped to provide services, more families require basic help.

Posted: 6/16/2010
Category: Budget, Recovery Act,

Download Report    |    Email to a friend
State Budget Slashes Services for Children, Poor, and the Elderly

Responding to Georgia’s low projected revenues for this upcoming fiscal year, Georgia legislators and the governor agreed to cut $33.5 million in State General Funds from the Department of Human Services (DHS) fiscal year 2011 General Budget compared to the current year’s enacted budget.

Posted: 6/15/2010
Category: Budget, Family Economic Security,

Download Report    |    Email to a friend
Press Statement: Georgia’s New Budget Depends on Extended Federal Help, Senate Set to Take up Legisl

Georgia’s FY 2011 budget includes nearly $750 million of enhanced federal Medicaid funds. Georgia would only realize half if the enhanced funding expires on December 31, as it is currently scheduled to do. Continued cuts could jeopardize $1 billion in state and federal funds. The US Congress can protect 30 states still reeling from the Great Recession and depending on the Medicaid assistance by extending it 6 months.

Posted: 6/10/2010
Category: Press Release,

Download Report    |    Email to a friend
Fact Sheet: Georgia is Depending on Congress to Avert a Medicaid Crisis

Georgia’s new budget assumes Recovery Act Medicaid funds will be extended past Dec. 31, when it is expires. The Senate is considering legislation to extend it temporarily (the House already stripped it out of a bill). Without it, Georgia would need to find hundreds of millions in new revenues or significant new budget cuts this year. If state lawmakers cut Medicaid, the state would lose $1 billion. Read the facts here.

Posted: 6/9/2010
Category: health, budget, recovery act

Download Report    |    Email to a friend
First
Prev
Page 1 of 17
Next
Last