Georgia

Georgia Republicans move to scrap state income tax by 2032 despite concerns

Published

4 months ago

January 7, 2026

Georgia Republicans move to scrap state income tax by 2032 despite concerns

ATLANTA — Eliminating state income taxes sounds great to many voters, but Republicans backing the push in multiple states still face questions about whether such big tax cuts can be made without raising other taxes or sharply cutting state funding for education, health care and other services.

Georgia on Wednesday became the latest state to launch a bid to abolish its personal income tax, with Republican leaders in the Senate backing a proposal to zero it out by 2032. This year, Georgia’s personal income tax is projected to collect about $16.5 billion, or 44% of the state’s general revenue.

The push is driven by politics. Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, the Republican who leads the state Senate, has made eliminating income taxes a centerpiece of his 2026 campaign for governor. State Sen. Blake Tillery, a Vidalia Republican who led a committee to abolish the tax, is among candidates to succeed Jones as lieutenant governor.

“This is the first vote that we are going to get to take to address affordability,” Tillery said.

But it’s unclear if the proposal will pass. Georgia House Republicans may want to continue nibbling away at the tax in smaller bites, preferring a “measured” approach. Republican House Speaker Jon Burns of Newington said Wednesday that his big 2026 goal is to eliminate property taxes for homeowners, but said he’s willing to consider the Senate plan.

Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, serving his last year, has been cool to total elimination of the income tax. He declined to comment Wednesday on the Senate plan, but spokesperson Carter Chapman said Kemp wants “to continue lowering taxes and putting more money in Georgians’ pockets as he has throughout his term.”

The state’s Democratic minority opposes the move, saying it would mostly benefit high earners and the state needs money to provide services.

Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns (R-Newington) holds a pre-session press conference to discuss his priorities for the 2026 legislative session, at the State Capitol in Atlanta, Ga, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026. Credit: AP/Matthew Pearson

Multiple GOP-led states seek tax cuts

Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi and Missouri have all set goals to abolish the personal income tax, joining eight other states that don’t tax personal income. Eight other states besides Georgia are cutting personal income tax rates this year, according to the Tax Foundation, a Washington, D.C., group generally skeptical of higher taxes.

“We’ve seen a lot of states cut their income tax rates in the last four or five years, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic and coming out of it,” said Aravind Boddupalli, senior researcher at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center in Washington, D.C.

Supporters say cuts help a state compete for new residents and businesses, pointing to growth in Texas and Florida, two states without personal income taxes.

“Your income tax is a tax on productivity,” said Manish Bhatt, who studies state taxes for the Tax Foundation. “If you are taxing productivity, you are potentially losing out on economic gains.”

Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns (R-Newington) holds a pre-session press... — Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns (R-Newington) holds a pre-session press conference to discuss his priorities for the 2026 legislative session, at the State Capitol in Atlanta, Ga, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026. Credit: AP/Matthew Pearson

Front-loading cuts for lower earners

Georgia has already been cutting income taxes, taking what was once a top income tax rate of 6% and lowering it to a 5.19% flat rate. Republicans broadly support a further cut for individual and corporate taxpayers to 4.99% this year, worth an estimated $800 million in foregone tax revenue.

The Senate plan would then freeze the corporate rate and focus on individual tax cuts. It proposes in 2027 to exempt the first $50,000 of income for a single person or $100,000 for a married couple, up from $12,000 and $24,000 now.

Faced with Democratic criticism about affordability, the big increase in exempt income is central to Republicans’ own arguments about how they can make money stretch farther. About 70% of Georgians reported less than $100,000 of taxable income in 2024, according to state figures.

“It is a plan that gives benefits first to hardworking families,” Tillery said.

The initial rate cut, plus the exemption proposal, would lower Georgia revenue by $3.8 billion in its 2027 budget year. Tillery says the state could pay by using surplus tax revenue and shifting back to paying for capital expenditures through borrowing instead of cash. But those moves probably wouldn’t cover the foregone revenue even in the first year, much less $13 billion more in cuts to get to zero.

Tillery said revenue should be bolstered by trimming business income and sales tax breaks, saying legislators should reduce “corporate welfare.” But lawmakers and Kemp have balked at curtailing those measures in recent years.

Some tax cuts backfired

Tax cuts haven’t always been a political bonanza. In Kansas, after Republicans under Gov. Sam Brownback cut income taxes steeply more than a decade ago, voters revolted at budget cuts and lawmakers imposed multiple tax increases to cover persistent budget shortfalls, including restoring some income tax cuts. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly won her first term in 2018 by framing the race as a referendum on Brownback’s policies.

“State income taxes are only bad if you fundamentally don’t believe that the services, the public investments that state governments provide, are worth anything,” said Matt Gardner, a senior fellow with the left-leaning Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy .

In Missouri, Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe and GOP legislative leaders have made phasing out the state’s income tax a top priority for the session starting Wednesday. They’re looking to expand sales taxes to services which currently are untaxed to help offset lost revenue.

“We want to do this in a smart, efficient way that’s not going to have the state go off some sort of fiscal cliff,” Missouri House Majority Leader Alex Riley told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

But expanding sales taxes could fall more heavily on poorer taxpayers. The liberal-leaning Georgia Budget and Policy Institute estimated that if Georgia doesn’t expand its sales tax, the combined state and local sales tax rate would have to rise sharply from the current 7.42% to recover revenue losses.

All that leads to questions about income-tax elimination plans, even from Republicans. Burns, the Georgia House speaker, said he’s “open” to any plan that benefits Georgians.

“But we’ve got to have the details, and it has to work,” Burns said. “We need to make sure we can continue to do vital services — health care, public safety, education, all the things we talked about.”

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Georgia

Georgia primary election: Voters head to polls Tuesday

Published

9 hours ago

May 17, 2026

Press Room

Georgia primary election: Voters head to polls Tuesday

ATLANTA – Georgia voters will head to the polls Tuesday to cast their ballots in a highly competitive primary election that features several races for top state offices.

What we know:

The Georgia Secretary of State’s office reported that more than 550,000 people have already cast early ballots in the state. This early turnout represents more than 7% of the state’s 7 million active voters, with Democrats seeing a higher early turnout by more than 50,000 votes over Republicans.

Several of the most powerful positions in the state are completely open because there is no incumbent running in the race.

Gov. Brian Kemp is limited by terms, leaving his seat open, while Lt. Gov. Burt Jones is running for that office alongside former Atlanta Democratic Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.

In the Senate race, three Republicans are competing for the chance to challenge Sen. John Ossoff, who faces no Democratic challengers. Other major offices on the ballot include attorney general, agricultural commissioner, and insurance and fire safety commissioner.

SEE 2026 ELECTION REPORTING

What we don’t know:

It remains unclear how total voter turnout on Tuesday will compare to early voting numbers or if election day will alter the current turnout balance between political parties. Officials have not yet indicated how quickly final ballot counting will be completed after polling places close for the evening.

What they’re saying:

“The thing that we really want to do is help elect enough women and men who are Democrats to flip at least one chamber of the House or Senate,” Melita Easters of the Georgia Gang said.

“We want to see a big turnout for Republicans on the day of Tuesday so that we can even that number out, because we know that it’s it’s about a 50-50 state,” Martha Zoller of the Georgia Gang said.

What you can do:

Polling sites will open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. Voters are being asked to double-check their polling site locations and look over a sample ballot before arriving to make sure they are prepared.

The Source: The information in this story was gathered from FOX 5 reporter Annie Mapp, who spoke live from Midtown Atlanta regarding data from the Georgia Secretary of State’s office, as well as on-camera interviews with Georgia Gang political commentators Melita Easters and Martha Zoller.

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Honolulu Police Chief Candidate Under Investigation In Georgia

Published

22 hours ago

May 17, 2026

Press Room

Honolulu Police Chief Candidate Under Investigation In Georgia

Former Glynn County, Georgia Police Chief Scott Ebner, now a finalist for the Honolulu chief job, has been under investigation for months over allegations of inappropriate behavior with a subordinate but apparently failed to mention that to a hiring consultant who recommended him as a top candidate for the Honolulu job.

When asked directly about the ongoing investigation last week by Civil Beat, Ebner professed not to know anything about it and denied he was under investigation.

“That’s not the case,” he said.

Civil Beat confirmed a complaint was filed in early August against Ebner alleging inappropriate conduct between him and Stephanie Oliver, an assistant chief, who he had promoted. Civil Beat also confirmed an independent investigator was hired by Glynn County a month later and that both Ebner and Oliver were notified of the complaint and investigation, which is still open.

Scott Ebner, one of three finalists for the Honolulu chief job, was under investigation when he left his previous job as chief in Glynn County, Georgia. When asked about the investigation during an interview, he denied knowing anything about it. (Craig Fujii/Civil Beat/2026)

Ebner resigned as chief and public safety director in December, about four months after the complaint was filed and less than two years after he had taken the top role at the Glynn County Police Department. In a Dec. 22 press release, county officials said he was moving into a transitional role to “support continuity of operations and leadership planning” at the end of that month. He is set to leave that position on June 30.

A Note On Anonymous Sources

Civil Beat generally uses on-the-record sources. However, we occasionally use unnamed sources when a source is sharing important information we wouldn’t have otherwise been able to obtain and when they could face negative consequences for speaking publicly. The reporter and at least one editor must know the identity of the source and the use of anonymity must be approved by a senior editor. You can read more about our anonymous sources policy here.

Ebner has said he left the chief job simply because it was time to move on. He had his eye on the chief job in Honolulu by then and knew a search would be starting soon. During his interview with Civil Beat he pointed to a glowing letter of recommendation from the Glynn County Board of Commissioners and asked why the board would write such a letter if he had left under a cloud of suspicion.

Oliver did not respond to messages left seeking comment. An email sent to her police department email address bounced back.

The allegations were first made public in Georgia on a local news organization’s Facebook page in December.

However, Honolulu Police Commission Chair Laurie Foster said commission members did not know about the allegation against Ebner before selecting him as a finalist. Now that they are aware of it, she said they are investigating, adding that commissioners are doing deep background research on all three of the finalists.

“We’re looking into all sorts of rumors, and they come up every day,” she said. “And we continue to investigate rumors and allegations that come up.”

Screened By Consultant

Ebner, who was also a finalist for the chief position in 2022, was named as a finalist last week by the Police Commission, along with David Lazar, a retired assistant chief from San Francisco, and Mike Lambert, director of Hawaiʻi’s Department of Law Enforcement.

Before advancing, Ebner was interviewed and screened by the executive search firm, Public Sector Search & Consulting Inc., which specializes in law enforcement executive hiring. The city is paying the company $121,900 to conduct the chief search.

Laurie Foster, chair of the Honolulu Police Commission, said commissioners did not know about the allegation that Ebner was under investigation for inappropriate conduct with a subordinate when they named him as a finalist. She said they are looking into it now. (Madeleine Valera/Civil Beat/2026)

When asked if she thought the consultant should have uncovered the allegation about Ebner’s investigation and warned the commission, Foster said she didn’t know yet.

“I’m not going to respond to that right now,” she said.

Starting with a pool of more than 40 candidates put forward by the consulting firm in April, the commission chose six semifinalists, who were interviewed by four panels of stakeholders, including top city and state officials, first responders and community organization leaders.

Based on the results of those interviews, commissioners then advanced Ebner, Lazar and Lambert, who have been making the rounds of media outlets for in-person interviews and were interviewed on a PBS program on Thursday evening.

They are scheduled to meet privately this week with Mayor Rick Blangiardi, who wants input into who becomes chief, followed by closed-door interviews with only two police commissioners at a time. If more than two commissioners participated in each interview, the meetings would have to be open to the public under Hawaiʻi’s Sunshine Law.

On Wednesday, the full commission is scheduled to hold a public session with each finalist, then decide later in the meeting who will get the job.

‘I’ve Never Been Disciplined’

The Glynn County Board of Commissioners did not mention an investigation or any allegations of misconduct when it announced Ebner was leaving the chief’s job in December. The press release contains quotes from commissioners praising Ebner’s leadership and his achievements as chief, including improving staffing levels by 25%, implementing salary increases for personnel and championing technological improvements in the department.

“On behalf of the Board of Commissioners, I want to thank Chief Ebner for his dedication to Glynn County,” commission Chairman Walter Rafolski said, according to the press release. “His work to elevate public safety standards and support the men and women who serve our community every day is sincerely appreciated.”

Rafolski did not respond to a call seeking comment. Other commissioners either declined to comment or did not respond.

Police chief finalist Scott Ebner during interviews in Honolulu May 13, 2026. (Craig Fujii/Civil Beat/2026) — Glynn County commissioners gave Ebner a glowing review in a letter of recommendation. They said he improved public safety in the county, boosted staffing levels and made technological advancements in the department. (Craig Fujii/Civil Beat/2026)

During his interview with Civil Beat, Ebner said if an investigation had been opened into him prior to his departure from Glynn County, he wasn’t aware of it.

“Unless something’s happened that I don’t know about, which is always possible,” Ebner said at the end of the interview.

Civil Beat confirmed that Ebner was notified of the complaint and investigation several months before he left the police department and that an outside investigator hired by the county had begun conducting interviews.

Asked specifically about the allegations that he was having an affair with a subordinate, Ebner replied: “You’re always going to have people that file allegations … And then, like I said, if I had done anything wrong, I don’t think they would have let me leave or continue to pay me until June.”

He pulled the letter of recommendation from the Glynn County Board of Commissioners and signed by Rafolski out of his briefcase and gave it to a reporter.

“That’s who I work for, directly,” he said. “That’s what they gave me when I left.”

His recommendation letter also is from Rafolski and covers some of the same ground as the press release. It says the county saw improvements in public safety and emergency preparedness under Ebner’s leadership.

“Mr. Ebner has raised public safety standards in Glynn County through his dedication, integrity and commitment to excellence,” Rafolski says in the letter. “I give my highest recommendation and I’m confident he will excel in future roles.”

The letter says Ebner improved staffing, got strategic grants for the department, built public trust and prioritized transparency. The department also achieved state police certification, established an Office of Professional Standards and Accountability and acquired new technology and modern equipment under his leadership, it says.

“I’ve never been disciplined, I’ve never been verbally counseled or written a reprimand, I never had to be retrained or go over a policy because I did something wrong,” Ebner told Civil Beat. “And that’s kind of an anomaly with almost 35 years of law enforcement. That’s how seriously I take my job.”

County spokeswoman Brittany Dozier did not respond to calls and emails seeking comment.