Gov. Sonny Perdue, in speaking to the Association of County Commissioners Georgia this afternoon, was pretty blunt about the prospects of funding the Homeowners Tax Relief Grant, even in an amount that would cover the break it funded on last fall's property tax bills.
Perdue continually called the program "ineffective," as he has in the past. He said that, despite the legislature's desire to fund the tax break, House and Senate leaders have yet to figure out how. And even if they try to force funding for the HTRG into the budget, "the end result will be less money for education, health care, public safety and other programs vital to your communities."
Perdue said the fat is gone from state government, more cuts would start to hit "vital organs." He also said he may have to lower the state's revenue estimate this year, which would lead to more cuts on top of the $2.2 billion already proposed.
"I don't have a time line (to finalize the estimate), but I'll try to do that sooner rather than later," he said.
Combine that with the fact that the House hasn't been able to force Perdue's hand on a veto of HB 143, which would set up a potential override, and it's looking more every day like local tax offices will be re-billing taxpayers, asking for a little more money to cover fiscal 2009 budgets.
"I'm holding out hope, but what I heard today was not encouraging," Houston County Commission Chairman Ned Sanders said after hearing the governor's lunch time remarks.
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