Georgia gets $2.4 billion more in COVID-19 relief. How will it be spent? – The Atlanta Journal Constitution

Kemp also used some of the money to provide bonuses for first responders, such as law enforcement officers and firefighters.

Kelly Farr, the governors budget director, said somewhere in the neighborhood of 10% of the original $2.4 billion the state received last year remains uncommitted. He said administration officials are still considering what to do with the next $2.4 billion the state just received.

The state has until 2024 to spend the money, so Kemp if he is reelected or Democratic nominee Stacey Abrams will have some big decisions to make over the next few years.

The governor has been in an unusual situation the past few years because the state has seen waves of federal and state tax revenue coming in. That wasnt what he expected before the pandemic, when he was calling on state agencies to cut spending because of recession fears.

But increased federal spending directly on Georgia families pumped up state income and sales tax revenue in 2021, helping to produce a record $3.7 billion surplus.

Kemp signed legislation refunding about one-third of that surplus to Georgia taxpayers earlier this year.

The fiscal year that just ended last week is expected to produce another record surplus, and with an election looming, the governor is likely again to call for refunding a chunk of that money to Georgians.

The state of Georgia has already spent or committed most of the $2.4 billion it received last year in federal COVID-19 relief funds. The things it went for include:

. Grants to communities for water and sewer improvements.

. Projects to expand high-speed internet in underserved areas of the state

. Aid to businesses and non-profits effected by the economic slowdown in 2020

. $1,000 bonuses for law enforcement, firefighters and other first responders

. Money to help relieve court backlogs

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Georgia gets $2.4 billion more in COVID-19 relief. How will it be spent? - The Atlanta Journal Constitution