ATLANTA – State Representatives Houston Gaines (R-Athens) and Marcus Wiedower (R-Watkinsville) today announced that House Bill 81, the Fiscal Year 2022 (FY 2022) budget, includes more than $50 million in bonds to support a number of priorities for the Athens area, such as project funding for the University of Georgia (UGA), Athens Technical College and Athens Transit. HB 81 was passed by the House today, Friday, Feb. 5.
“We are excited that the FY 2022 budget includes a significant number of local projects that we have prioritized this legislative session, including important priorities for UGA, Athens Technical College and Athens Transit,” said Rep. Gaines, who serves as vice chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Higher Education. “This funding would improve educational outcomes in our state and improve transportation infrastructure in the region.”
“These local projects are significant for our area,” said Rep. Wiedower, who serves as a member on the House Appropriations Committee. “We are confident that these projects will allow our region to keep leading the way for higher education and transportation infrastructure, and it would allow our state to continue to prioritize education, healthcare and transportation.”
The Fiscal Year 2022 budget includes several million dollars in bond funding to support a variety of disciplinary studies at the University of Georgia. HB 81 includes a $5.7 million bond to the university’s STEM Research II Building, a $1.7 million bond for Phase I of the renovation of Science Hill, and a $5 million bond for design and construction of the Science Hill Modernization project. It also allocates a $5 million bond for design, construction and equipment for a Multidisciplinary Greenhouse Complex and a $21.7 million bond for Phase I construction of the Poultry Science Complex.
Additionally, the FY 2022 budget includes a $13.085 million bond for construction of the Industrial Systems Technology Building at Athens Technical College. To support Athens’ critical public transit system, this version of the budget dedicates a $1 million bond to help Athens-Clarke County Transit fund its Transit Administration Operations and Maintenance and Vehicle Storage Facility.
For more information on HB 81, please click here.
Representative Houston Gaines represents the citizens of District 117, which includes portions of Barrow, Clarke, Jackson and Oconee counties. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2018 and currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Higher Education and Secretary of the Health & Human Services Committee. He also serves on the Special Committee on Access to the Civil Justice System, Special Committee on Election Integrity and the Code Revision, Insurance, Juvenile Justice and Ways & Means committees.
Representative Marcus Wiedower represents the citizens of District 119, which includes portions of Clarke and Oconee counties. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2018 and currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Intragovernmental Coordination Committee and as Secretary of the Transportation Committee. He also serves on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government and the Higher Education, Motor Vehicles, Natural Resources & Environment and Ways & Means committees.
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