In a letter to top state lawmakers on Thursday, Gov. Sonny Perdue says state agencies will lose 25 percent of their funding next month as Georgia continues to grapple with plummeting tax collections. The governor has lowered the amount the state may spend by $274 million to keep from running over budget for the fiscal year set to conclude June 30.

Perdue spokesman Bert Brantley said education won't be affected by the cuts. The state will draw down some federal stimulus money originally budgeted for 2011.

It's the fourth time that Perdue has lowered the revenue estimate for the fiscal year 2009. The budget is now $2.8 billion less than what was originally budgeted last year.