Georgia Business Action Network – January 24, 2020
LEGISLATIVE CALENDAR
The legislature was in recess this week to allow the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to conduct joint state budget hearings. The General Assembly will reconvene on January 27, 2020 for legislative day 5, and work through Friday, January 31.
BUDGET PRESENTATION HELD BEFORE JOINT COMMITTEE
Tuesday through Thursday this week, state legislative budget committee members heard from Governor Kemp, the state’s fiscal economist and various state agency leaders regarding the Amended Fiscal Year 2020 and Fiscal Year 2021 Budget proposals. While the state is still expected to experience growth over the next year, it may slow from previous years according to the state’s fiscal economist, Jeffrey Dorfman. Although Governor Kemp has called for 4% and 6% budget reductions in FY 2020 and FY 2021, respectively, the essential service areas of education, Medicaid and transportation were exempt from these cuts.
Please find the Governor’s Budget Report for AFY 2020 and FY 2021 here.
STATE OF TRANSPORTATION
January 23, 2020 (Atlanta, GA) – The Georgia Transportation Alliance has announced a new educational campaign called “Georgia Can’t Wait for Freight” to raise awareness about the nearly 6 million tons of freight carried throughout Georgia each week. This new campaign will highlight the opportunities and challenges for Georgia’s transportation network because of dramatic freight growth in Georgia’s future.
The “Georgia Can’t Wait for Freight” campaign was announced at the State of Transportation Reception in Atlanta, attended by over 400 business leaders and elected officials. The event was hosted by Georgia Transportation Alliance, Georgia Highway Contractors Association, Georgia Construction Aggregate Association and Georgia Ready Mixed Concrete Association, and attended by special guests, Georgia House Speaker, David Ralston, GDOT Commissioner Russell McMurry, Senator Brandon Beach, Chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee among others.
Recent research shows that 90% of Georgians agree that transportation is important for job growth and economic prosperity. Given that Georgia has the fastest growing port in the country with a projected increase from over 4 million containers annually to over 8 million containers annually by 2028, investment in freight and logistics infrastructure should be a top priority. Further, over 80% of that cargo will travel by truck on Georgia’s highway system. Georgia’s future economic growth is directly tied to transportation infrastructure that allows businesses to get their products to market efficiently and their employees safely to work.
“There is unquestionably a direct correlation between transportation infrastructure and growing Georgia’s economy,” says Senator Brandon Beach, Chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee. “Georgia has an enormous opportunity for big business in freight and logistics that will make our state the capital of the eastern seaboard. Investing in and making transportation a priority right now will only boost Georgia’s economy in the future.”
For more information on the “Georgia Can’t Wait for Freight” campaign, please visit CantWaitForFreight.com.
GEORGIA CHAMBER PUBLIC AFFAIRS STAFF
David Raynor
Senior Vice President, Public Affairs
404-223-2267 | draynor@gachamber.com
Cosby Johnson
Vice President of State & Political Affairs
404-223-2285 | cjohnson@gachamber.com
Daniela Perry
Senior Director, Public Policy & Federal Affairs
404-223-2270 | dperry@gachamber.com
Nancy Palmer
Director, Government Affairs
404-223-2489 | npalmer@gachamber.com
Allison Plummer
Manager, Government and Political Affairs
404-223-2295 | aplummer@gachamber.com
Jasmine King
Manager, Government Affairs
404-223-2285 | jking@gachamber.com
Emily Pateuk
Manager, Public Policy
404-223-2475 | epateuk@gachamber.com