Georgia House advances budget with pay raises for teachers and state workers

ATLANTA (AP) — Pay raises for Georgia public school teachers and state employees took a step forward Tuesday, as the House Appropriations Committee approved a spending plan for the budget year that begins July 1.

The budget would spend $36.1 billion in state money and $66.5 billion overall, including federal and other funds. The full House will vote on the measure on Thursday, with Senate debate to follow.

Spending would actually fall after lawmakers amended this year’s budget to sharply increase outlays. After Gov. Brian Kemp signed the amended spending plan last week, Georgia will have spent $38 billion in state revenue and $68 billion overall in the year ending June 30.

Public school teachers would get a $2,500 raise beginning July 1, boosting average teacher pay in Georgia above $65,000 annually, as the Republican governor proposed in January. That’s in addition to a $1,000 bonus Kemp sent out in December, a move lawmakers ratified when they amended the current budget. State and university employees also would get a 4% pay increase, up to $70,000 in salary. The typical state employee makes $50,400.

Combined, that’s more than $600 million in pay raises. Teachers previously received $7,000 in raises during Kemp’s first five years in office.

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