Kemp signs state budget: What it means for Savannah

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) – Tuesday morning, Governor Brian Kemp signed a $36.1 billion dollar budget for the state of Georgia that will take effect on July 1.

In remarks to reporters at the state Capitol after signing the spending plan, Kemp said this year’s legislative session “offered something for everybody.”

What the newly signed budget offers for the city of Savannah is $4.7M to expand the Medical College of Georgia at Georgia Southern University (Armstrong Campus).

It will grant $2.3M to construct and equip a new State Patrol facility for Post 21 (Sylvania).

The budget also includes $500,000 for EV transit infrastructure in Chatham County.

Under the new budget state and university employees would also get a 4% pay increase, up to $70,000 in salary. The typical state employee makes $50,400.

Georgia has $5.4 billion set aside in its rainy-day fund, which is filled to its legal limit of 15% of state revenue. Beyond that, it had $10.7 billion in surplus cash collected over three years. Lawmakers approved Kemp’s plan to spend more than $2 billion of the surplus in changes to the current budget, which ends June 30. But that would leave more than $8 billion in reserve.

Kemp said it was important to hold on to that money to fulfill his promise to reduce the state income tax rate while maintaining higher spending levels.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.