Georgia’s corporate Income taxis percent. Tax collections in the state of Georgia were up $1 billion during the first three quarters of the fiscal year, which ends June 30. The state is expected to end the fiscal year with a surplus. Water is expected to be a key issue for Atlanta. Atlanta saw a 2.2 percent gain in the Consumer Price Index in March and April 2006, the biggest jump in overall costs for consumer goods such as cars, clothes, gas and homes in ten major US. cities tracked by the government. The hefty gain in Atlanta's CPI was mainly due to the region's higher costs for gas, as well as homes, cars and all the purchases that go along with maintaining those two big‐ ticket items. Transportation and housing costs in Atlanta rose 5.1 percent and 7.3 percent respectively during March and April.
Employment The US. Department of Labor/Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the civilian labor force of the Atlanta‐Sandy Springs‐Marietta, GA MSA increased 3.0 percent from 2,589,696 in June 2005 to 2,666,358 in June 2006. The number unemployed fell 8.5 percent from 142,839 in June 2005 to 130,678 in June 2006. The unemployment rate fell from 5.5 percent in June 2005 to 4.9 percent in June 2006. Table 4 shows the percentage change in employment of key non‐farm sectors operating in the Atlanta‐Sandy Springs‐Marietta, GA MSA.
