Governor seeks another big tax break for Georgians. But GA could use that money. | Opinion
Did you see that Gov. Brian Kemp hopes to grant Georgians a $1 billion tax refund when the General Assembly reconvenes? Should we be elated at this news? It would bring to a total of over $6.6 billion in tax cuts or refunds that will have been awarded since Kemp became governor.
Referring to tax revenue, the governor is fond of saying “This isn’t the government’s money, it’s yours.” Perhaps, but once “my” money disappears into the state coffers, the disposition of it is in the government’s hands. The proposed maximum individual tax refund of $250 will generate lots of smiles but will do little to affect the lives of those “hardworking Georgians” whom the governor loves to talk about.
Those tax refunds when considered in the aggregate could transform our state, or at least several facets of it. While Kemp blames bad policies emanating from Washington for many of the state’s problems, as a citizen and parent of four children who were (and are) being educated here, I see many ways that the budgetary surplus could be employed to improve the quality of life for us “hard-working Georgians.”
Those who follow state news know that our law enforcement agencies are understaffed and underpaid. Ditto for firefighters and corrections officers, another large group of “hard-working Georgians.” These folk are particularly hard-working because they are short-staffed, the result of their meager compensation.
Some would say that their reward lies in the honorable work that they do. Yes, their work is indeed honorable, but they also have families who want to live in a comfortable home and children who aspire to attend college. And certainly, we wish to attract a workforce whose salaries are such that none are tempted to give way to dishonesty.
Likewise, it is vital that our state’s public schools be adequately funded so that not only are their facilities competitive but that their salaries are as well. If the education budget at the state level is comparable in importance to the defense budget on the national level, we are in grave danger. My youngest daughter played high school soccer until recently, and until her last year on the pitch, if her teammates or their families needed to use the restroom, there was no indoor option.
The private academies created during desegregation still exist, and sadly, our governor has done little to remedy this problem. Public schools should not only foster a sense of community but provide challenges for all ranges of students. Poverty and a lack of healthcare, problems in their own right, do great harm to the educational process, particularly when an entire district is affected.
Yes, with its mountains, beaches and inspiring historic sites, Georgia is a wonderful state in so many ways, and, yes, Governor Kemp has excelled at drawing business and industry, but as the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education has observed, it is essential to address the state’s numerous educational challenges and further improve the workforce.
A workforce is made up of people – Kemp’s hard-working Georgians – and those folks have needs. A few extra dollars would not change my life, but the knowledge that state employees, teachers and others are being paid a fair wage and are working in safe and reasonable conditions would warm my heart, knowing that we are treating people right.
While we can’t put a dollar value on these things, as a bonus our leadership should make it clear to the world that Georgians value not merely financial security but honesty, decency and integrity, a gift that would enable all of us to stand tall with pride.
Larry Fennelly can be reached at larney_f@hotmail.com.