Montgomery, AL – Alabama's governor is relying on a second federal stimulus bill that he doesn't support to provide the state with more than $1 billion to balance the next state budgets and prevent major cuts in services.
Gov. Bob Riley presented budget proposals Wednesday that count on the U.S. Senate passing the ``Jobs for Main Street Act'' that cleared the U.S. House in December. Riley said he doesn't like the design of the second stimulus package, but he expects it to pass.
Riley said the federal money would help Alabama enter fiscal 2011 with the same number of school employees and maintain most state services at their present levels. The budget plan would level fund state employees' and teachers' health insurance. That could result in higher copays or reduced benefits for employees.
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