2020 Georgia: Why Tax Reform Matters

Georgians for a Healthy Future recently joined 2020 Georgia—a broad alliance of community leaders and organizations—as an alliance partner.  While members of 2020 Georgia range from small, community-based nonprofits to large, statewide organizations, all share the common goal of a balanced approach to state budget and revenue solutions that meet the short and long-term needs of our state and its people.  In advance of the first meeting of the 2010 Special Council on Tax Reform and Fairness for Georgians, which has a charge to study the tax system and report to the General Assembly in January 2011, 2020 Georgia released a fact sheet on why tax reform matters for Georgia. It is below in its entirety.


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Georgia: $375 Million in the Red

Thursday, July 1, was the start of Georgia’s 2011 State Fiscal Year, and we began already $375 million behind. The state legislative session which ended on April 29 saw dramatic budget cuts impacting education and other services for children and families. To add insult to injury, Georgia suffered yet another blow resulting from failure of the U.S. Senate to move forward the Federal Jobs Bill, which in part included a provision that would extend an enhanced FMAP to states for an additional 6 months. FMAP, which stands for Federal Medical Assistance Percentages, is a break down of how many Federal dollars Georgia receives to help pay for our state Medicaid program. Given the high unemployment rate and dire financial situations that families in the U.S. were facing, in last year’s Federal Stimulus Bill, Congress instituted an increase in Federal match dollars to all states to help keep their respective Medicaid programs afloat.


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The Final Seven…

By Timothy Sweeney
Senior Healthcare Analyst, GBPI


As we approach the final seven legislative days for 2010, there’s still a great deal of uncertainty surrounding both the schedule the General Assembly will set for themselves, as well as with the policy-related results of the session.


Still the most important task before the House and Senate – really the only thing the Legislature HAS to accomplish during the session – is the FY 2011 budget. Currently, House appropriations subcommittees are scheduled for April 12, which means we could see subcommittee budget recommendations next week and passage of the FY 2011 budget by the House later in the week.


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More than 1.6 million Georgians are uninsured.Source: Georgia Health Policy Center
Health insurance premiums grew 6.4x faster than earnings over the past decade.Source: Families USA
Georgia’s infant mortality rate is among the worst in the nation.Source: KidsCount
Georgia ranks in the bottom quartile of states on overall quality.Source: New American Foundation
More than 1 million Georgians don't see a doctor due to the cost.Source: BRFSS data
Millions of Georgians are at least two hours away from trauma care.Source: GA Statewide Trauma Action Team

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E-Mail: info@healthyfuturega.org

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