MONTGOMERY – Governor Bob Riley on Thursday signed into law the Fiscal Year 2008 General Fund budget, which provides $1.8 billion for most non-education functions of state government.

“Overall, the General Fund budget is very similar to the one I proposed at the beginning of the session and I’m pleased it received strong bipartisan support,” said Governor Riley.

The Governor did, however, using line-item veto authority, disapprove of $1 million added in the Senate that is earmarked for road projects in Tuscaloosa County.  Road projects are not and should not be funded through the General Fund, but through an existing constitutional transportation fund that is matched with federal dollars.

“At a time when we have unfunded needs in Medicaid, Corrections and Mental Health, this is not a time to divert General Fund dollars for road projects,” said Governor Riley.  “Legislators can no longer use DOT for political purposes like they did for decades, so this earmark is obviously an attempt to go around DOT, take General Fund money and use it for a political purpose.”