GNB Update

Another day, another GNB Update...

Governor Sonny Perdue delivered the State of the State address under the Gold Dome in Atlanta Wednesday morning. And to no one's surprise, the big topic of discussion was Georgia's budget shortfall, which currently stands at more than $2 billion. He urged lawmakers to tap into the state's reserves for $50 million now, and more than $400 million in the next fiscal year. Perdue also urged Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle and House Speaker Glenn Richardson to devise an effective transportation plan with the Georgia Department of Transportation.

There's some resistance to Governor Perdue's proposal to fund Medicaid for hospitals and insurance companies. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that both Republicans and Democrats oppose the fee proposal, which calls for a 1.6 per cent fee on hospital revenues and insurance plans in hopes of covering a hole for Medicaid that totals more than $200 million. The proposal also would provide a $60 million statewide trauma network.

In other health care news, there'll soon be more options for expectant mothers delivering children in Albany. The Georgia Department of Community Health recently approved Palmyra Medical Center's certificate of need to provide obsteric services. But Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital plans to appeal that decision, saying that competition will be stifled.

Finally, Gwinnett County has a problem with leaks. Only these leaks come from grease instead of water, which Gwinnett's water resources department has already fixed six times so far this year. A leak earlier this month in Norcross saw more than 12,000 gallons of effluent disappearing from the sewers.

Remember, the GNB Report has all the news that's fit to browse on the Internet all day, all night. Have a great day.