Calvin Hill: Budget Gives Over $289 Million in New Funds to Education

More money will be set aside for education funding in the state's fiscal year 2014 budget, according to one Cherokee County state legislator.

State Rep. Calvin Hill (R-Hickory Flat) said on Saturday that with state revenues growing by 3 percent, over $289 million in "new funds" have been assigned to education funding in the upcoming budget.

Hill made the assertion in two town hall meetings he held with State Sen. Brandon Beach (R-Alpharetta). Both men met with residents at the Hickory Flat Public Library and Ball Ground City Hall. 

Hill stated House Bill 106 gave $146.5 million to fully fund Quality Basic Education, or QBE, growth from 1.4 percent for over 23,000 students. He also said the state increased equalization grants by $38.3 million to "reflect full funding of the required $474.4 million." 

"This is the first year that equalization has been fully funded since 2009," he wrote in a press release. 

Beach told residents about the work he'd done in the Georgia Senate on health care reform and preventative medicine practice for doctors, which he said would "reduce the excessive testing now being performed by doctors in fear of lawsuits."

That would eliminate unnecessary tests and could help slow the tide of rising health care and health insurance costs. 

When the two legislators went to Ball Ground, they informed the audience of the same topics that were discussed in Hickory Flat. They were peppered with questions on the possibility to replace the bridge along Highway 372 over the Etowah River. 

The legislators told the audience that the Georgia Department of Transportation is "moving very rapidly" to complete right-of-way acquisition so they can move forward on the project since funding has already been approved.  

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