Gov. Nathan Deal is making it clear that the era of state budget cutting isn't over, asking state agencies to find another $553 million in reductions through June 2014. About half of that would come from higher education and from public health — $108 million from the University System of Georgia and $170 million from the Department Community Health, which handles Medicaid and PeachCare — while most k-12 school funding is exempt. Agencies are still weighing their responses to the order, issued last week, but some will consider layoffs. The order — marking the fifth consecutive year that the governor's Office of Planning and Budget has told department heads to come up with additional reductions — reflects continued weakness in the state's economy and concern that it won't improve dramatically before 2014. This year's requested cuts are larger than last year's.
http://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-politics-elections/more-budget-cuts-ahead-1490245.html
