Advocates for older Georgians asked state legislators Thursday to allot more federal social service funding for senior citizens. Lawmakers held a hearing on a type of federal funding called social service block grants. They fund programs such as adult daycare and transportation services that help older residents remain in their homes.

Gov. Nathan Deal’s 2013 spending plan is about 4 percent larger than the revised 2012 budget. That reflects increased tax revenues. But state officials told lawmakers Thursday, there'll be no reprieve from budget cuts next year.

Lawmakers gathered at the State Capitol Thursday to introduce Senate Resolution 673. The resolution petitions Congress to call a convention to propose a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. constitution. The amendment would prevent federal spending from exceeding federal revenues, with the exception of a national emergency.

State legislators continued to hold budget hearings on Gov. Nathan Deal’s 2013 spending plan Wednesday. Most state agencies are dealing with two percent budgets cuts. And that often means doing the same amount of work with less money. The two percent budget cuts Gov. Deal sought for fiscal 2013 come on top of larger spending reductions in previous years.

Republican and Democratic state senators unveiled their legislative agendas this week and at first glance, there are many similarities. But the two sides have very different ideas about how government should help Georgians prosper. Both Republicans and Democrats want to create jobs and make government work for the people.