Paul_Yates's Blog

The leaders of the Georgia General Assembly have acknowledged that money must be allocated for trauma care. The House and Senate have now approved a budget that includes $58.5 million for the state's trauma network. Key players know more dollars will be needed. But how will they generate all that money?

The proposed answer is a $10 vehicle registration fee for trauma care funding. But that plan is linked to House legislation calling for elimination of the property tax on personal vehicles. The Senate has a competing proposal to reduce income taxes and wants the $10 vehicle fee to become stand-alone legislation.

Gov. Perdue's opposition to both tax proposals further complicates the outcome. What if the legislative train goes off the tracks during the session's final days? Will trauma care funding be lost? Senate President Pro Tempore Eric Johnson told me he's confident that the trauma issue will be addressed.

Legislators walked away from trauma funding last year. The timing of action to create a reliable financial stream for trauma care remains in question this year.