www.thecentersquare.com – By Kim Jarrett | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-03-28 15:28:00
(The Center Square) – Georgia Senate Appropriations Chairman Blake Tillery ended his presentation fiscal year 2026 budget Friday by telling his colleagues the state income tax could be eliminated.
The state’s northern and southern neighbors, Tennessee and Florida, do not impose one.
Georgia makes about $16 billion annually from income taxes, Tillery said.
“We can take that to zero,” said Tillery, R-Vidalia. “But we have to decide what we want to otherwise exempt, first.”
Georgia does not tax things that other states do, including labor services. Taxing services could bring in $12.2 billion, which could “almost eliminate the income tax overnight,” Tillery said.
Lawmakers agreed to a bill earlier in the session that would reduce the state’s flat income tax rate from 5.29% to 5.19% for the 2025 tax year. The state is reducing the number by 0.1% until it reaches 4.99%.
The Senate’s $37.7 billion budget removes bond packages and $80 million in corrections funding added by the House. Tillery said the Senate version would use cash to fund some of the projects but would delay two. The House of Representatives proposed $321 million in bonds.
The spending plan includes $170 million for the Department of Corrections, which is less than the $250 million proposed by the House but more than Gov. Brian Kemp’s $125 million. Part of the money will go toward salary enhancements for state prison workers and an additional 700 corrections offices.
The Senate included $141 million for the Georgia Promise Scholarship, the state’s school choice program that begins with the 2025-2025 school year. The House recommended $45.6 million.
The back-and-forth over $7 million for the World Congress Center continued, with Senate budget writers removing it for a second time. The money was included in the state’s mid-year budget but was taken out, only to have the House add it back into its FY26 budget. The money would have been used to prepare for upcoming sporting events in Atlanta. Tillery said the money was removed this time for the same reason it was in the mid-year budget.
“Super Bowl 62 is three years away, the NCAA Final Four for 2031 is six years away,” Tillery said. “If we’re going to fund those now, we would allow those entities to hold the interest on state funds. Why would we not hold those $7 million and interest in state funds?”
The Senate and House will appoint conference committees to hammer out the differences in the versions. The General Assembly will end its 2025 session on Friday of next week.
SUMMARY: Thousands of protestors are set to gather nationwide on May Day to oppose the Trump administration’s policies, just days after President Trump’s 100th day in office. Demonstrators argue that Trump’s actions, including federal layoffs and cuts under the Department of Government Efficiency led by Elon Musk, harm the working class. The 50501 organization, coordinating rallies across states like Arizona and New York, condemns efforts to erase labor rights, silence immigrant voices, and break unions. Protest focuses include divesting from Musk’s Tesla, protecting diversity programs, and supporting labor unions. Inspired by the 1971 May Day protests, the movement aims to challenge billionaire power and reclaim workers’ rights.
Childhood poverty doesn’t happen by accident – it is found at the intersection of poor public policy, generational poverty, and a lack of access to essential resources.
And while childhood poverty can’t be solved by one policy or organization alone it can be made much worse by removing one. Head Start is one of the most effective anti-poverty programs we have in the United States. Cutting it would have devastating effects on families and communities for generations to come.
At Helping Mamas, a baby supply bank, we see every day what happens when children and families get the support they need and what happens when they don’t.
Head Start is so much more than just a preschool program. It is a family-centered program where parents receive workforce development support, health education and parenting education. Children receive quality early learning instruction closing literacy and school readiness gaps. It is a lifeline where families feel safe, loved and seen.
Like many learning environments, Head Start Programs are often the heart of a community. Through my work with Helping Mamas I see Head Start utilizing our resources for diapers, wipes, car seats and other essential items. They became a place of safety during Hurricane Helene. They partnered with us to make sure that families in rural areas had access to essential items at their most vulnerable moments.
Head Start mobilizes the community to volunteer with children and parents. I know that when parents engage with Head Start they are getting the tools and support they need to break the cycle of generational poverty.
And I have to ask, in a time where the U.S. is consistently falling behind the world in academic achievement – particularly in math where U.S. students currently rank 28th globally – why would we cut a program that has shown to increase a child’s academic success all the way through college?
I believe that good public policy, when paired with adequate funding, has the power to transform lives. It always has.
And when you combine that with strong community partnerships, you’re not just supporting individual children — you’re investing in our future workforce, the long-term health of our communities, and the strength of our economy.
Nonprofits alone cannot and should not continue to be the public safety net for our children. Overcoming educational deficits and poverty takes a combined approach of nonprofits, communities and public policy. Remove even one piece of the foundation and the structure won’t hold – collapsing along with the futures of our children.
Every dollar invested in Head Start generates up to $9 in economic returns through increased earnings, reduced reliance on public assistance and lower involvement with the criminal justice system. It also increases parental employment and reduced child maltreatment rates.
Head Start was created as part of our country’s War on Poverty – because early childhood education, health care, and family support are not luxuries – they are necessities. Cutting Head Start doesn’t just impact our classrooms today – it threatens the future of our workforce, our economy and our country’s ability to compete on the world stage.
So I will ask again: Can we afford the cost of cutting Head Start Programs? I don’t think so. Our children don’t think so. And if our politicians are serious about creating a better future, they shouldn’t think so either.
This is more than a budget item, it is the future of our children and our communities. Let’s send the message that we cannot keep trying to balance a budget on the backs of our youngest most vulnerable citizens.
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Georgia Recorder is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Georgia Recorder maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor John McCosh for questions: info@georgiarecorder.com.
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: Left-Leaning
This content strongly advocates for the preservation of the Head Start program, which is framed as a critical anti-poverty and educational tool for children. The language used emphasizes the benefits of government-funded initiatives and community partnerships, promoting the idea that such programs are essential to societal progress and economic well-being. The tone is persuasive, appealing to values of social equity and the long-term advantages of investing in early childhood education. This focus on the positive impact of government-supported programs and the critique of budget cuts reflects a left-leaning perspective on social welfare and education policy.
SUMMARY: St. Helena Island, S.C., protected by a 1999 Cultural Protection Overlay (CPO), faces a proposed change by developer Elvio Tropeano for Pine Island Development: a gated community with a golf course. This conflicts with the community’s original agreement to forbid such developments. Penn Center’s Robert Adams argues this plan contradicts long-standing rules and the county’s smart growth goals, citing overwhelmed infrastructure and potential displacement of natives. Tropeano counters that the project aligns with county goals, will boost the tax base, create jobs, and preserve open space. Tropeano has requested a map amendment, with a planning commission meeting set for May 5.
