While the budget process is never easy when the lawmakers gather in Atlanta, this year is proving to be an even steeper climb than normal.   That’s because there is no money to budget.  The state is facing a huge shortfall in revenues for the year. 

The January reports show that revenues have fallen by 14.3%  and that tax collections are off 4.8%.  That equals out to $499 million.  So, state lawmakers are looking to Washington in the hopes of federal bail out money from President Obama’s stimulus package. 

While the Democrats may be calling the shots in the Nation’s Capital, Democrats in Georgia are fearful that the poor and working class are being left out of the Republican controlled Georgia Legislature’s budget considerations.

Republican Majority leader Jerry Keen said that the state is in "Unchartered Waters" economically.

So the state lawmakers have come up with two budgets ….one that would include stimulus money fromt he feds and one that doesn’t….now it’s a wait and see.