Newsmaker: Deal on Budget, Immigration: MyFoxATLANTA.com

,code>

Newsmaker: Deal on Budget, ImmigrationUpdated: Wednesday, 23 Feb 2011, 11:30 PM EST
Wednesday, 23 Feb 2011

By: RUSS SPENCER/myfoxatlanta

ATLANTA - Governor Nathan Deal sat down with FOX 5's Russ Spencer in his office at the state Capital to talk about the range of tough choices he and the legislature faces, given a $2 billion budget deficit, and the cost of implementing the new federal health care law.

Governor Deal says he doesn't want to make life difficult for Georgia businesses, but the Farm Bureau and other business groups say the Arizona-type immigration bills the legislature is looking at could spell trouble.

Governor Deal has taken some heat from conservatives for saying he would sign a Sunday alcohol sales bill if one ever gets to his desk and for his support of specialized drug and DUI courts for non-violent offenders.

As far as Sunday store sales of alcohol are concerned, the governor says it's not his priority, but he thinks local communities should be allowed to decide whether to keep the old blue laws.

Having said that, the governor says he won't be disappointed if the Senate bill remains stalled in committee and never gets to his desk.