Ahead of the Georgia House Vote, Faith Leaders Unite to Demand a Moral Budget
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 3, 2021
MEDIA CONTACTS
Austin Schuler, aschuler@faithinpubliclife.org, (540) 280-3393
Graham Younger, gyounger@faithinpubliclife.org, (678) 739-8584
Ahead of the Georgia House Vote, Faith Leaders Unite to
Demand a Moral Budget
Atlanta, Georgia — On Tuesday, March 2nd, faith leaders from across Georgia, in partnership with the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute, joined together to demand Georgia representatives vote for a moral budget that supports Georgia families.
Speakers discussed the need for restored social safety net programs, and some of the proposals that our state legislators need to consider as they vote this week. They argued that Georgia lawmakers must make sure families that have been impacted by cuts to critical programs, like public schools, get the support they need.
For video of the event, click here.
Elder Willie Wiley, Presiding Elder, Augusta-Sparta District, CME Church (Augusta)
“Look at how our people are living day-to-day. I invite the governor to come down with me and walk not down a street, but down a dirt road where people still don’t have plumbing in Georgia. You assume everything is just fine from where you sit, but walk a mile in their shoes.”
Min. Shavonne Williams, Organizing Ambassador, Faith in Public Life (Augusta)
“Right here where I am in Richmond County, it is raining outside. But it is raining in the lives of Georgians all over the state. Our governor has the opportunity to use the rainy day reserve…right now is the time to use it to restore dignity in the lives of Georgians.”
Rev. Guillermo Arboleda, St. Matthews Episcopal Church (Savannah)
“Georgians are well-known for our kindness, hospitality, family values, and faith. Most of us grew up being taught to love our neighbors as ourselves (Mark 12:31) and to live by Jesus’ Golden Rule: “In everything do to others as you would have them do to you” (Matthew 7:12). I can think of no better way to live into those values than to establish and bolster systems that support Georgia residents in their pursuit of quality public education, affordable healthcare, and economic stability.”
Danny Kanso, Georgia Budget and Policy Institute
“These effects are very real. In the 1.2 billion dollars of cuts, are 416 million dollars of cuts to Pre-K and K-12 education. That’s where the lion’s share of these cuts fall. We are still underfunding the formula in state law for public schools all across our state by over 390 million dollars.”
Rev. Fer’Rell Malone, Sr. Senior Pastor, Macedonia Baptist Church, CEO, F.R.E.S.H
Communities, LLC (Waycross)
“It is incumbent upon the governor and the legislature to pray and seek a moral conscience. Ask God and the folks they are representing that they respond with the ability to present, vote on and implement a moral budget.”
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Faith in Public Life is a national movement of clergy and faith leaders united in the prophetic pursuit of justice, equality and the common good. Together, with a network of over 50,000 leaders, they are leading the fight to advance just policies at the state and federal level that affirms our values and the human dignity of all.