Final answer:
The Georgia Constitution requires a balanced budget, as the comptroller must certify that any appropriations bill is within available revenues, a requirement not found in the US Constitution.
Step-by-step explanation:
Under the budget process outlined in the Georgia Constitution, there is a specific requirement that is not mandated by the US Constitution. This requirement is the obligation for a balanced budget.
Georgia's Constitution necessitates the comptroller to certify that any appropriations bill passed by the Legislature does not exceed available revenues, essentially requiring the state to balance its budget. In contrast, the US Constitution has no such provision; in fact, the US government often operates under a budget deficit, and numerous proposed amendments to require a balanced budget — including a significant effort in 1995 — have failed to be ratified.
Interestingly, the budgeting procedure at the federal level, as depicted in Figure 5.3.3, shows that the President submits a proposed budget each fiscal year to Congress, which functions more as a suggested plan than an actual budgeting mandate. This proposal may include deficits and isn't bound by a requirement to balance expenditures with revenues.
Moreover, during the fiscal politics of 1995 and 1996, Republicans aggressively promoted the Balanced Budget Amendment, which failed to pass the Senate by a narrow margin and never advanced to state legislatures for ratification.