Montgomery, Alabama – (AP) - Gov. Bob Riley says a federal economic
stimulus package would allow Alabama to maintain state government
operations at close to their current level next year.
Riley says education spending could be higher than it currently
is.
Riley unveiled his proposed state budgets for fiscal 2010 on
Wednesday and they address two scenarios - passage of a federal
stimulus package and failure of the package.
If the package fails, Riley says education spending would drop
from this year's $5.8 billion to $5.6 billion next year. With the
package, it could jump to $6.2 billion.
Riley's $1.6 billion General Fund budget is based on state
agencies getting about the same amount they are currently
receiving. But that's contingent on the federal government
increasing the amount it provides Alabama for Medicaid and the
state being able to reduce its appropriation for Medicaid.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)