ATLANTA (AP) - Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal says he has asked his agency heads to come up with contingency plans if federal leaders can't reach agreement to avoid the so-called "fiscal cliff."
Deal tells The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he's not confident an agreement will be reached.
Deal's spokesman Brian Robinson says the state expects to contribute a portion of the lost federal dollars if agreement is not reached in Washington. If no deal is reached, Robinson said the state is planning to spend $24 million to "strategically target essential programs, such as those that represent a life or safety need for Georgians."
The Journal-Constitution reports that going over the "fiscal cliff" would mean less academic support for at-risk schoolchildren and fewer meals for low-income seniors, among other repercussions for cuts in most federal programs.
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