Ga. House budget plan restores cuts, reduces teacher raises

Teachers would get a little less and other state employees would get a little more under the budget approved Monday by the House Appropriations Committee.

Instead of the $2,000 pay raise proposed by Governor Brian Kemp, R-Georgia, the House proposal gives teachers a $1,000 pay bump.  They plan to use the other half to give all state employees a two percent pay increase.  Workers at some agencies with high turnover would see additional increases between two and five percent.

"In balancing that, we had to find that money somewhere," explained House Appropriations Chairman Terry England, R-Auburn.  "In talking with our teachers around the state they have all said, 'We appreciate the thoughts.  We appreciate the idea that the governor has on the $2,000 [raise], however, there are other state employees that we realize are having a hard time or maybe having a worse time than we are.'"

Rep. England said the raises will not only help keep employees but can also help the state save money because they will not have to train new employees as often.

The House's budget plan also restores proposed cuts to accountability courts, the Department of Community Health and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's Crime Lab.

"We're not cutting any lab services.  So, we're going to restore all lab services back to where they previously were, for GBI to go and hire those positions, but also put money in for some third-party testing," said Rep. England.

In budget hearings, GBI Director Vic Reynolds proposed outsourcing the testing of some drug and other chemistry tests so that GBI scientists could focus on biological evidence critical to sexual assault and murder cases.  

The full House of Representatives is expected to vote on the budget Tuesday.