ATLANTA—While Georgia outperforms its peers in avoiding one-time maneuvers to close budget gaps, it fails to make the grade in budget forecasting or in adequately funding post-employment benefits for public workers, according to a study conducted by the Volcker Alliance in partnership with the Center for State and Local Finance (CSLF) at Georgia State University.
CSLF researchers graded Georgia — along with four other Southeastern states — in five categories: budget forecasting, budget maneuvers, legacy costs, reserve funds and transparency, as part of the Volcker Alliance report, “Truth and Integrity in State Budgeting: What Is the Reality?” The study spanned fiscal 2015 through October 2017 and graded states based on best practices deemed necessary for accurate, sustainable and transparent budgeting.
