Georgia CURB

`

Georgia Coalition United for a Responsible Budget

Concerns and Ideas that Drive GA CURB’s Work

A family budget tells us a lot about a family: their plans for the future, their likes and dislikes, the struggles they must surmount, their sense of right and wrong. So too does a public budget. A state that values hard work suitably rewarded, families, children and seniors and hears the admonition that the strong must extend a hand to those in difficulty deserves a budget that reflects those values.

Measured against most Georgians' sense of right and wrong, our State budget is irresponsible. Georgia ranks very low on multiple national indicators:

Improvements in these indicators are critical for future economic growth. Policy discussions involving budget and revenue decisions should focus on assuring funding is available to make the needed improvements. We need public discussion of the role of state government in improving Georgia's ranking in education, health, economic, and quality of life indicators.

In Georgia, not only have we failed to prepare adequately for the job we need to do, we have actually lost ground due to repeated budget cuts. These cuts have depleted critical programs, cost federal matching dollars our economy needs, shifted costs to local governments, and put vulnerable members of our community and our children’s futures at risk.

To address some needs, we all have to pull together, and that means corporations and wealthier people have to participate in the solution to the state's budget problems. Those who prosper most from living and doing business in an intact community have a special duty to support it. In the end, their continued prosperity requires attention to statewide priorities, too.

It is time to not only to replace the cuts to human service and education programs previously enacted, it is also time to look at the big picture. Georgia’s per capital income ranks us in about the middle of the U.S, but Georgia is one of the lowest tax states in the nation. If we cannot meet the basic needs of Georgians during an economic recovery maybe it is time to look for ways to increase revenues.

A broad group of health and social services advocacy groups has joined together as GA CURB to work against harmful cuts in essential health and social services and for a budget that reflects Georgia values. We advocate for recovering lost revenue owed to the state by enforcing collection from tax evaders, eliminating corporate tax windfalls, and limiting special interest tax breaks that favor narrow private interests; for maximizing federal matching funds; and for otherwise finding the resources to protect and enhance Georgians' quality of life.

We have new challenges to meet and new opportunities to advance this work in Georgia. Several legislative study committees meeting during 2006 have considered ideas that would affect our revenue structure and future budgets. Research by the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute has shown how we could address tax fairness issues in Georgia with or without net revenue increases. There are also ideas for increasing the transparency of on-budget and off-budget expenditures so public policy choices will be more evident.

GA CURB has already demonstrated the ability to be heard on these issues, and together we can accomplish so much more. Help make our voice as strong as possible by joining CURB today.