Georgia House leaders cut teacher pay raise in half, ease Kemp spending reductions

Georgia House leaders pushed back hard on Gov. Brian Kemp’s spending cuts Monday, backing a $28 billion budget that ignores many of his proposed reductions and slashes his plan for a $2,000 teacher pay raise in half.

The House Appropriations Committee on Monday approved the budget plan for fiscal 2021, which starts July 1.

The chamber’s leaders added 2% pay raises for state employees and an additional 2%-5% in several areas where low salaries have made it difficult to keep staffers, from food safety inspectors and prison guards to mental health workers.

“I am proud that the House budget maintains critical services and rewards the hard work of all of our public employees in Georgia,” said House Speaker David Ralston, R-Blue Ridge.

Read more: https://www.ajc.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/georgia-house-ignores-many-kemp-spending-reductions-cuts-teacher-pay-raise-half/cpSkpLwWwftywXemZmW7WM/