DECATUR, AL (WAFF) -
Legislators are rejecting Governor Robert Bentley's budget plan as the state faces a $538 million decrease in the General Fund for fiscal year 2013.
Governor Bentley proposed transferring money from the Education Trust Fund to the General Fund. But several lawmakers said they do not want to slash education funding that will be down $150 million as is.
Decatur Senator Arthur Orr said 2013 is a rock bottom year for the state's budget. He said he is thinking about a bill to amend state laws for earmarked programs and agencies to be able to move some of that money to the General Fund. Earmarked agencies that do not rely on the General Fund get most or all of their money from earmarked fees, fines or taxes. They are not subject to budget cuts.
One example is the Alabama Department of Revenue, which receives nearly all its funding outside of the General Fund. Sen. Orr said they are looking at agencies outside the General Fund that receive taxpayer money. He wants to see if they can un-earmark them so it can help take the pressure off cuts.
"Years ago, a prior legislature may have passed a tax or fee increase, but it was dedicated to one particular agency or program. We're going to be looking at those to see if we can't free up money to spend elsewhere for agencies that are really hurting and to help shore up the budgets," said Sen. Orr.
Governor Bentley has mentioned ending all earmarks, which would require a constitutional amendment that has to be approved by Alabama voters. Sen. Orr said he is interested in amending statutory earmarks, ones that are not dictated by the state constitution, like the Alabama Department of Transportation.
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