Georgia state government cash reserves keep growing despite higher spending

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signs the budget for the year beginning July 1, 2024 at the state Capitol in Atlanta on Tuesday, May 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Amy)

Georgia’s bank accounts bulge ever fatter after revenue collections in the 2023 budget year outstripped efforts to spend down some surplus cash.

State government now has more than $11 billion in unallocated surplus cash that leaders can spend however they want, after Georgia ran a fourth year of surpluses.

The State Accounting Office, in a Tuesday report, said Georgia ended up collecting more than it spent even after officials boosted spending on one-time projects. Georgia spent $37.8 billion in state money in the 2023 budget year ending June 30 but collected $38.2 billion in revenues.