A federal appeals court has ordered statewide elections for two Georgia public service commissioners back onto the November ballot.
The ruling came only a week after a federal judge postponed the elections, finding that electing the five commissioners statewide illegally diluted Black votes. The decision by three judges on the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals follows a U.S. Supreme Court decision that says judges shouldn’t order changes close to elections. District 3 Commissioner Fitz Johnson and District 2 Commissioner Tim Echols are both Republicans seeking reelection to six-year terms. Echols represents a sprawling district that includes Athens-Clarke, Oconee, Jackson, and Barrow Counties as well as the Macon area. Johnson's district includes Fulton, Dekalb, Rockdale, and Clayton Counties.
Johnson is being challenged by Democrat Shelia Edwards, while Echols faces Democrat Patty Durand and Libertarian Colin McKinney.
Kemp warns agencies against asking for more money next year
Citing supply chain issues, gas prices and overall inflation, the Kemp administration is cautioning state agencies to hold their spending in next year’s budget to the level of the current budget.
The decision comes from Kelly Farr, Director of the Office of Planning and Budget, in a memo that kicks off the state budget process each year. Farr said the state expects revenues to meet the needs of Georgia’s growing population, but inflationary pressures will be a significant driver in the upcoming budget cycle, which does not begin for 10 months.
The governor’s office could propose higher spending above agency proposals, but instructing agencies to submit flat budgets makes it harder for them to lay out needs and wants that might tempt lawmakers to seek more spending Kemp doesn’t want.
As a part of official duties, the governor sets the revenue estimate each year, an amount legislators cannot spend above. Lawmakers will take up the 2023 budget during their session starting in January.
More spending on broadband is in the works
The state will spend another $240 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds to construct broadband internet to rural locations that don’t currently have connections.
Combined with $408 million from an earlier round of COVID-19 aid, plus money from the Federal Communications Commission, nearly $1 billion will be given to utilities and others to try to bring high-speed connections to parts of Georgia that lacked them. Applications for the new round of grants open Monday.
The 49 electric cooperatives, local governments, cable companies and others who got the earlier round of funding committed to spend $330 million of their own money to match the federal cash.