Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has asked Georgia’s 51 government agencies to exercise continued fiscal restraint while creating their budgets for the amended fiscal year 2025 and fiscal year 2026. Despite the state’s general fund surplus reaching a record $16. 5 billion last month, most agencies have followed his guidance. Out of the agencies, 45, excluding state courts, kept their budgets flat, meaning no extraordinary requests were made. Thirty-one agencies maintained their budgets for the amended fiscal year 2025, and 24 did so for fiscal year 2026.

Georgia is currently working on the governor’s overall budget, which reflects state needs and Kemp’s priorities. Tony West, director of Americans for Prosperity, described the budget requests as restrained and conservative, helping agencies use taxpayer dollars more efficiently. Additionally, this allows the governor and the Legislature to direct funding where it is most needed, potentially lowering tax rates.

The proposed budget requests by state agencies total $35. 9 billion for fiscal year 2026, a decrease from the $36. 5 billion requested for the amended fiscal year 2025. The Department of Education expects a budget cut of $466 million, partly due to declining student enrollment. Requests related to school safety have increased following a recent school shooting. Other departments, like Medicaid and Transportation, have requested funding increases for future budgets.

The state budget is crucial, as it is mandated by law to be passed each year, with education and health care being the largest expenditure areas. The General Assembly will begin reviewing the budgets in mid-January.