www.thecentersquare.com – By Kim Jarrett | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-05-12 15:42:00
Georgia’s state revenue for April 2025 dropped by \$230.4 million, a 5.8% decrease compared to April 2024. The extension of the income tax filing deadline, which was moved from April 15 to May 1 due to Hurricane Helene, contributed to the decline. Corporate tax collections saw the largest drop, down 27.8%, while individual income taxes fell slightly by 2.8%. Other taxes, such as sales and use, motor fuel, and vehicle tag fees, increased. Year-to-date tax collections total \$27.7 billion, showing a \$312 million increase, although adjustments for the motor fuel excise tax make the underlying change a slight decrease of 0.6%.
(The Center Square) – The extension of the income tax deadline for Georgia taxpayers drove down state revenues for April, according to the latest numbers released by Gov. Brian Kemp’s office on Monday.
Net tax collections dropped by $230.4 million, a 5.8% decrease from April of last year. The state collected $3.73 billion in April 2025 compared to $3.96 billion in April of 2024, according to the Georgia Department of Revenue.
The governor extended the income tax filing deadline from April 15 to May 1 to help businesses and individuals affected by Hurricane Helene, which swept through the state last September. The deadline was the same even for Georgians not affected by the hurricane.
Corporate tax collections took the most significant hit, down 27.8% when compared to fiscal year 2024. Individual income tax collections were only down slightly from $1.97 billion in FY2024 to $1.91 billion in FY2025, a 2.8% reduction.
Other tax collections were up in April with sales and use tax collections up 4.5%, motor fuel taxes increasing 3.4% and motor vehicle tag and title fees rising by 7.4%, according to the report.
Year-to-date tax collections are $27.7 billion, an increase of $312 million. A moratorium on motor fuel excise tax in fiscal year 2024 accounted for the higher numbers, according to the revenue department. Without the motor fuel tax changes, year-to-date collections are down 0.6%, a $154.2 million decrease.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Centrist
The article presents a straightforward, fact-based report on Georgia’s tax revenue figures following an extension of the income tax deadline due to a hurricane. It refrains from using loaded or emotive language, maintaining a neutral tone throughout. The piece simply conveys data and context provided by the governor’s office and the revenue department without advocating for any political viewpoint or policy stance. This adherence to factual reporting without promotion of ideological perspectives indicates a centrist and neutral approach.
SUMMARY: The Tom D. Austin House in Savannah, Georgia, is closing permanently due to loss of federal funding, displacing nearly six families who relied on its affordable housing. The 12-room building, operating since January 2017, sheltered formerly homeless families. Tenants were notified in March, and many, including pregnant mother Jessica Martin, are struggling to find new homes. Martin described the building’s eerie silence as residents packed up, with children confused by the situation. The government has offered no assistance to these families. Nonprofit Family Promise of Chatham County is aiding four displaced families, but many remain uncertain about their future.
www.youtube.com – FOX 5 Atlanta – 2025-06-30 16:15:27
SUMMARY: A New York jury has begun deliberations in the racketeering and sex trafficking trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs after over a month of graphic evidence and testimony. The jury must unanimously decide if Combs participated in a criminal enterprise committing at least two crimes over ten years, with alleged offenses including kidnapping and arson. Combs also faces sex trafficking charges related to two former girlfriends. While the defense admitted Combs had a violent past and drug issues, they argued the women were willing participants. Prosecutors accuse Combs of victim blaming and allege he evaded justice for 20 years.
It is now up to a New York jury to decide if Sean “Diddy” Combs is guilty of racketeering and sex trafficking. It comes after more than a month of sometimes graphic evidence and testimony.
FOX 5 Atlanta delivers breaking news, live events, investigations, politics, entertainment, business news and local stories from metro Atlanta, north Georgia and across the nation.
SUMMARY: A Hephzibah, Georgia woman, Dee Alice Moton, 51, faces federal health care fraud charges for allegedly billing the Veterans Administration about \$2.3 million for services not provided to veterans at her Aiken, SC massage therapy business. Moton reportedly submitted false claims for unauthorized or nonexistent treatments. Additionally, Tina Marie Armstrong, 67, of Florence, SC, was charged with health care fraud and identity theft related to fraudulent Medicare and Medicaid claims for durable medical equipment, totaling over \$198,000 in false claims. These cases are part of the 2025 DOJ National Health Care Fraud Takedown, involving 324 defendants and \$14.6 billion in false billings, with over \$245 million seized in assets.
