Gov. Brian Kemp’s 2025 budget includes a handful of items for the Augusta area, but its impact is likely to be felt more in raises going to hundreds of area state workers.
Kemp, now in the second year of his second term, released the spending plan last week, and state lawmakers will review it at hearings in the coming days.
Kemp said the plan is “investing in our economy and our workforce” as the state implements its lower income tax rate of 4.99% this year.
As the governor introduced it, the budget includes a $1,000 pay supplement and 4% cost-of-living adjustment for many state workers, including university system employees, K-12 teachers and other certified personnel.
It also includes some $1.8 billion for state capital projects, including some transportation projects in the area.
Augusta-specific funds
Spending in Kemp’s budget specific to the Augusta area includes:
- $4.6 million to purchase the Augusta Transition Center, a Taylor Street facility owned by private prison operator CoreCivic since 2017
- Annualizing funding for a Serenity Behavioral Health crisis center in Augusta for $1.2 million
- $104,000 to implement music studios at youth detention centers in Augusta, Eastman, Macon and Columbus
- $1,000 salary supplements for graduate medical education at the Medical College of Georgia hospital and clinics
- $5.25 million for construction of a commercial driver’s license pad at Augusta Technical College
- $5 million for design and construction of renovations at Augusta University’s Interdisciplinary Research building on 15th Street
- $3.16 million for renovations at Georgia War Veterans nursing homes in Augusta and Milledgeville
- $2.3 million for design and construction of a multi-county state Forestry office in Thomson
- A 4% cost-of-living adjustment, not to exceed $3,000, for employees at the Georgia Cyber Innovation and Training Center
Funds for Athens, Statesboro medical schools
Kemp’s budget includes funding for two medical schools with programs similar to those offered in Augusta, including:
- $178 million for design and construction of a dental school at Georgia Southern University’s former Armstrong State campus in Savannah
- Matching funds of an unspecified amount for construction of a Medical School at UGA in Athens
No new judge
- Kemp’s budget includes funding for seven Georgia judicial circuits to add superior court judges but not the Augusta Circuit, which has sought a sixth since the Columbia Circuit broke off in 2021. A separate bill introduced by area Sens. Max Burns and Harold Jones that adds a judge for Augusta was introduced last year but awaits further action.
Susan McCord is a staff writer with The Augusta Press. Reach her at susan@theaugustapress.com
