Deal seeks contingency plans for fiscal cliff

ATLANTA (AP) Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal says he has asked his agency heads to come up with contingency plans if federal leaders can't reach agreement to avoid the so-called "fiscal cliff."

Deal told that he's not confident an agreement will be reached.

Deal's spokesman Brian Robinson says the state expects to contribute a portion of the lost federal dollars if agreement is not reached in Washington. If no deal is reached, Robinson said the state is planning to spend $24 million to "strategically target essential programs, such as those that represent a life or safety need for Georgians."

The Journal-Constitution reported that going over the "fiscal cliff" would mean less academic support for at-risk schoolchildren and fewer meals for low-income seniors, among other repercussions for cuts in most federal programs.