State budget hearings underway

ATLANTA - Georgia legislators are holding budget hearings this week that may reveal how a politically divided government will work. <br> <br> Republicans are boycotting the hearings organized by Democrats. <br> <br> The state&#39;s department heads also are skipping the hearings -- saying they were told by Governor-elect Sonny Perdue to stay away. <br> <br> Democrats argue they&#39;ve always held budget hearings the week before a new session. They say it&#39;s especially important to conduct them now, with state tax collections off nearly $280 million so far this fiscal year and agencies expecting five-percent spending cuts. <br> <br> Republicans say the Democrats are grandstanding and wasting tax dollars with the hearings. <br> <br> Perdue upset Democratic Governor Barnes in the November election. Voters also elected a 30-26 majority Democratic Senate, but Perdue convinced four Democrats to switch parties. That gave the GOP majority control of the chamber.