Gov. Sonny Perdue per the Constitution has what we call “line-item” veto power. While the Constitution is clear, the Legislature appropriates “The General Assembly shall annually appropriate those state and federal funds necessary to operate all the various departments and agencies.”
It is also clear that the governor can veto individual appropriations. An appropriation is defined as “an amount, a purpose and a recipient.”
What is not so clear and in the opinion generally of the legislative branch is the governor’s power to alter appropriations intent and “change the purpose.”
Gov. Perdue vetoed some $18 million in cash vetoes and bond vetoes of $83 million in state general funds bonds and $40 million in DOT bonds for fuel revenues.
Direct appropriations vetoes
Department of Community Affair vetoes
Local assistance grants to the city of John’s Creek ($250,000) for improvement work on Highway 141 and to the city of Augusta ($245,000) for the Southeastern Firefighters Burn Foundation at the Joseph M. Still Burn Center that were put in by House leadership.
Department of Early Care and Learning veto
$900,000 in funding for the Ferst Foundation for the distribution on one book per month to children ages 0 to 5 years in participating counties.
Department of Economic Development veto
$500,000 for operations and $75,000 for a feasibility study for a private/public partnership for the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame.
Department of Natural Resources veto
$250,000 to facilitate athletic achievement and competition among handicapped children for the Georgia State Games Commission which included an existing $50,149.
Department of Transportation veto
$5 million in state for Local Road Assistance’s LARP program.
Bond vetoes
• $1.7 million in bonds for the repair of the burn building and to build a new apparatus for students at the Georgia Fire Academy.
• $5 million in bonds for the purchase of land to develop a research park in Oconee County.
• $7.01 million in bonds to improve rail lines from Lyerly to Rossville, Midville to Vidalia, and Waycross.
• $40 million in DOT bonds for the Buckhead, Midtown, and Atlanta Downtown Community Improvement Districts Peachtree Corridor.
• $2 million in bonds to construct a welcome center on Highway 441 near Tallulah Falls on Rabun County side.
• $8 million in bonds for the design and construction of a charter school to be operated by the Cobb County School System.
• $5 million in bonds to renovate the Hinman Research Building at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
• $1.9 million in bonds to fund infrastructure improvements on a local land gift at State University of West Georgia.
• $1 million in bonds to renovate the Physical Education Building at Georgia State University.
• $4 million in bonds to renovate Nevins Hall at Valdosta State.
• $10 million in bonds for a classroom building at Georgia Military College.
• $2 million in bonds for improvements at the State Farmers’ Market.
DTAE vetoes
• $7 million in bonds to finance projects and facilities for the Department of Technical and Adult Education.
• $2.5 million in bonds to purchase land and a building for the Spalding County Campus.
• $4.8 million in bonds to design and construct Elbert County Campus Technical and Industrial Facility at Athens Area Technical College.
• $1.5 million in bonds to construct the Airframe and Power-Plant Maintenance School on the Thomson-McDuffie Regional Airport Property, Augusta Tech project.
• $1.5 million in bonds to construct an auditorium on the Forsyth County campus, Lanier Technical College.
• $4.9 million in bonds to construct a 25,600 square foot building expansion on the Dawson County campus, Lanier Technical College.
• $500,000 in bonds to construct a new hangar building and renovate an existing facility for Coosa Valley Technical College in Floyd County.
• $4 million in bonds to construct an automotive technology building at Southeastern Technical College.
• $7 million in bonds to fund minor repairs and renovations at technical colleges in the state.
• $1 million in bonds to construct an aviation technology/maintenance school at the Gilmer County Airport for Appalachian Technical College.
Library projects are cost shared with local governments on a sliding scale usually 50/50. The governor had no libraries in his capital outlay proposal.
Library vetoes
• $2 million in bonds to design and construct the Fairplay Public Library in Douglas County.
• $1.6 million in bonds to construct as part of the Okefenokee Regional Library System, Pierce County Public Library.
• $2 million in bonds to renovate Nancy Guinn Memorial Library as part of the Conyers-Rockdale County Library System.
• $1.8 million in bonds for the Senoia Public Library and Grantville Public Library in the Troup-Harris-Coweta Regional Library System.
Next week – Revenue figures and budget re-directs
Visit the Legislature’s home page at www.legis.state.ga.us
To view the FY2008 Budget in its entirety: www.senate.ga.gov - Tab - Budget Reports
I want to hear from you! I may be reached at
234 State Capitol, Atlanta, GA 30334
(404) 656-5038 (phone)
(404) 657-7094 (fax)
E-mail at Jack.Hill@senate.ga.gov
Or call toll-free
1-800-367-3334
Day or night
Reidsville: (912) 557-3811
Sen. Jack Hill is chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
