ELLIJAY, Ga. – Appearing on FYNTV.COM’s “Good Morning from the Office” program Thursday (June 4) State Rep. Kevin Tanner (R-Dawsonville) said legislators will tackle the difficult task of balancing the fiscal year 2021 budget when the Georgia’s General Assembly is back in session on June 15.

The full legislature has not met since Gov. Brian Kemp declared a Public Health State of Emergency to address the COVID-19 crisis on March 14. When they return, legislators will have to pass a supplemental 2020 budget as well as a FY 2021 budget.

“There are going to be some painful cuts,” Tanner said, “The appropriations committees have already been working. We’ve drafted cuts for the governor for 14 percent across the board, no exceptions for every agency.”

Agency directors have testified before the joint appropriations committee. So the appropriations committees are well underway with the budget process.

“Fortunately in Georgia, we are required to balance the budget unlike in Washington which I think is one of the biggest issues in D.C. now,” said Tanner. “In addition to that, one of the things leadership in the House has done is they have taken a look at our important bills that are outstanding and I think you will see several other bills come before the House and Senate.”

Tanner is one of nine Republican candidates campaigning for the 9^th District Congressional seat vacated by Congressman Doug Collins who is seeking to win a seat in the U.S. Senate.

Two of other’s – Georgia State Senator John Wilkinson (R-Toccoa) and Ethan Underwood appeared on Thursday’s program. Fetch Your News will also have separate articles on those candidates.

Regarding issues he wants to address if elected, Tanner said the biggest issue is spending.

“The special interest groups that are driving the conversation in Washington are part of the problem,” he said. “They are driving the insanity in D.C. that is geared around spending. Spending is completely out of control and it has been for several decades. It’s not just one party. All parties are to blame for the spending problem we have and I’m not sure that ever gets under control until we force a balanced budget amendment into the Constitution. I fully support a balanced budget amendment.”

Asked about the bitter divisiveness going on in Washington, Tanner said, “There’s people out there who would like to divide us. There’s people who want to create turmoil. A lot of those people are funding candidates on both sides, Republican and Democrat. They want to create anarchy in this country so they can destroy an institution  we have built and our forefathers have built. I’m not willing to sit by while my country is being destroyed without jumping into the fight. We have got to bring some common sense back to Washington.