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From the BG ad Group studio. This is

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your News Minute on the Marietta Daily Journal

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podcast presented by Credit Union of Georgia.

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Today is Friday, March 29th and

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I'm Keith Ippolito. In a major move,

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the Georgia General Assembly has passed $36.1

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billion budget for the fiscal year

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2025, showcasing a 3.7

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billion increase over the last year.

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This budget brings significant raises for state

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employees and public school teachers, and boosts

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funding for the state's pre-kindergarten program.

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State workers are poised to see a $4,000

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increase in their paychecks, with those in high

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turnover sectors like law enforcement and welfare

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services receiving an extra $3,000.

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Teachers are looking for a $2,500

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raise. Education is a big winner, with

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$243 million set aside

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for enrollment growth, 200 million for new

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school buses, and 108 million dedicated

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to ensuring each public school in Georgia receives

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a 45,000 school safety grant.

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The pre-kindergarten program got a $48.4

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million lift thanks to strong lottery

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sales, signaling a focus on improving

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early education in terms of class size and

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teacher salaries. Moreover, the budget

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addresses tech upgrades in state prisons

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with a $10.7 million and boost

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health care provider reimbursement rates by

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$18.6 million. Additionally,

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$6.3 million will fund free

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meals for $64,000 low

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income children, leveraging the state's $16

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billion surplus, the legislature

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is allocating $1.2 billion

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in cash for infrastructure projects across

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schools and state agencies, moving away

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from traditional borrowing methods

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awaiting Governor Kemp signature, the budget

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underscores Georgia's dedication to enhancing

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the lives of its citizens and laying down a robust

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foundation for the state's future prosperity.

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For more news about our community, visit MDA

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online.com for the Marietta Daily

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Journal podcast I'm Keith Ippolito.

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