Georgia

Georgia state tax collections finish more than $2 billion ahead of projections, buoying surplus

Published

2 years ago

July 12, 2024

Georgia state tax collections finish more than billion ahead of projections, buoying surplus

(AP) – Georgia’s tax collections ran more than $2 billion ahead of projections for the budget year that ended June 30, even though tax revenues fell slightly.

That means even though Republican Gov. Brian Kemp and lawmakers decided earlier this year to spend part of the state’s surplus, that cash cushion will be larger than expected when the state closes the books on the 2024 budget year in coming months. It was last estimated at $10.7 billion.

It also means that Kemp’s administration for the fourth year significantly underestimated how much Georgia would collect in taxes, meaning money is held in surplus instead of being used to boost spending on government services or cut taxes.

The governor by law sets a ceiling on how much lawmakers can spend.

Garrison Douglas, a spokesperson for Kemp, said the surplus over projections is likely to be around $2.2 billion, according to a “very preliminary estimate.” However, surprises can appear as accountants finalize the state’s year-end financial returns. Some taxes collected by other agencies besides the state Department of Revenue weren’t available Friday.

Overall collections fell 0.5% the 2023 budget year, which suggests Georgia’s economy may be cooling. Income tax collections, the state’s largest source of revenue, were down more than 5%, although some of that decrease is likely due to income tax cuts that began on Jan. 1.

Sales taxes were flat, suggesting Georgians bought fewer goods last year after accounting for inflation.

But because the state collected a full year of taxes on gasoline and diesel taxes after Kemp waived the tax for part of the previous budget year, that nearly made up the income tax decrease.

Collections of taxes, interests and fees by the Department of Revenue, although they fell slightly, were $2.6 billion ahead of the latest Kemp administration projections published in January. All of the major taxes finished ahead of projections, meaning taxes fell much less than planned for.

The end-of-year accounting was boosted by a surge in June tax collections, especially from often-volatile corporate income taxes.

The overall surplus, which had been $10.7 billion at the beginning of the year, will still fall because Kemp and lawmakers boosted spending for 2024 to $38 billion with onetime outlays to pay for $1,000 bonuses to state employees and teachers, boost roadbuilding, and to build a new legislative office building and overhaul the state Capitol.

Beyond the surplus cash, Georgia also has another $5.4 billion in a rainy day fund.

It’s the fourth year of huge surpluses, after $3.7 billion in 2021, $6.4 billion in 2022, and $5.3 billion in 2023.

Critics have suggested Republicans are purposefully holding down spending while refusing to fully expand Medicaid health insurance to poorer adults.

However, the budget that began July 1 addresses some criticisms. It boosts pay for public school teachers and state employees, while spending more on education, health care and mental health. Public school and prekindergarten teachers got a $2,500 raise starting July 1. State and university employees got a 4% pay increase.

However, if state tax collections continue falling next year, those spending targets could get harder to maintain. Kemp and Republican lawmakers have said they don’t want to dip into the surplus to pay for ongoing expenses.

Georgia’s budget pays to educate 1.75 million K-12 students and 450,000 college students, house 51,000 state prisoners, pave 18,000 miles (29,000 kilometers) of highways and care for more than 200,000 people who are mentally ill, developmentally disabled, or addicted to drugs or alcohol.

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Georgia

Georgia football trying to flip Grayson CB recruit

Published

2 hours ago

June 21, 2026

Press Room

Georgia football trying to flip Grayson CB recruit

The Georgia Bulldogs are trying to flip cornerback recruit Preston Glasco just over a week after he committed to the Connecticut Huskies.

Glasco, a member of the class of 2027, announced his commitment to UConn on June 10. Since committing to UCONN, Georgia has hosted Glasco on an official visit and offered him a scholarship (back on June 18).

The 6-foot-3, 190-pound cornerback has excellent length and size. Glasco has impressive athleticism and ran a 4.47-4.57 second 40-yard dash (hand timed) during a recent workout with the South Carolina Gamecocks.

Glasco plays high school football for Grayson High School in Loganville, Georgia. He’s unranked as a recruit, but that’s bound to change soon. The unranked cornerback plays against a stout level of competition at Grayson, who is a Georgia high school powerhouse.

Glasco has scholarship offers from Army, Yale, Boston College, Penn and more. He’s a great student and appears to be healthy after he was recovering from a surgery around this time last year. The talented Grayson cornerback has also gone on recent visits to South Carolina and Vanderbilt.

Coach Kirby Smart and Georgia currently don’t have any cornerback commitments in the class of 2027.

Georgia football offers Preston Glasco

“Blessed to receive an offer from the University of Georgia,” Glasco said after Georgia offered him.

Glasco visits UGA football

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Georgia

Georgia Lottery Powerball, Cash 3 results for June 20, 2026

Published

12 hours ago

June 21, 2026

Press Room

The Georgia Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at June 20, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from June 20 drawing

16-20-44-48-50, Powerball: 15, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 3 numbers from June 20 drawing

Midday: 0-9-2

Evening: 9-6-9

Night: 2-4-6

Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 4 numbers from June 20 drawing

Midday: 0-1-2-5

Evening: 1-8-1-5

Night: 5-4-6-0

Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from June 20 drawing

Early Bird: 06

Matinee: 03

Drive Time: 09

Primetime: 06

Night Owl: 02

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Georgia FIVE numbers from June 20 drawing

Midday: 4-0-5-8-9

Evening: 3-3-9-2-2

Check Georgia FIVE payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Fantasy 5 numbers from June 20 drawing

01-09-10-15-42

Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from June 20 drawing

01-10-16-30-31, Bonus: 04

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize

Prizes under $601: Can be claimed at any Georgia Lottery retail location. ALL PRIZES can be claimed by mail to: Georgia Lottery Corporation, P.O. Box 56966, Atlanta, GA 30343.
Prizes over $600: Must be claimed at Georgia Lottery Headquarters or any Georgia Lottery district office or mailed to the Georgia Lottery for payment.

When are the Georgia Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday.
Cash 3 (Midday): 12:29 p.m. ET daily.
Cash 3 (Evening): 6:59 p.m. ET daily.
Cash 3 (Night): 11:34 p.m. ET daily.
Cash 4 (Midday): 12:29 p.m. ET daily.
Cash 4 (Evening): 6:59 p.m. ET daily.
Cash 4 (Night): 11:34 p.m. ET daily.
Cash Pop (Early Bird): 8 a.m. ET daily.
Cash Pop (Matinee): 1 p.m. ET daily.
Cash Pop (Drive Time): 5 p.m. ET daily.
Cash Pop (Primetime): 8 p.m. ET daily.
Cash Pop (Night Owl): 11:59 p.m. ET daily.
Georgia FIVE (Midday): 12:29 p.m. ET daily.
Georgia FIVE (Evening): 6:59 p.m. ET daily.
Fantasy 5: 11:34 p.m. ET daily.
Jumbo Bucks Lotto: 11 p.m. ET on Monday and Thursday.
Millionaire for Life: 11:15 p.m. ET daily.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Georgia editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Georgia

Democrats block local property tax referendums as Georgia lawmakers clash over affordability – The Current

Published

22 hours ago

June 20, 2026

Press Room

Democrats block local property tax referendums as Georgia lawmakers clash over affordability – The Current

House Republicans are attempting to pass a wave of local property tax measures during an ongoing special session that would allow communities to vote on whether to raise their sales taxes to give homeowners a tax break.

But Democrats have so far successfully blocked the effort, stymying GOP lawmakers from putting the question before voters this November. They argue the change represents a new tax that shifts the burden of paying for local services from homeowners to lower income Georgians – and they question the rush to put it before voters this year.

An attempt to pass dozens of local property tax measures failed Saturday in both the House and Senate, but Republicans say they aren’t giving up. Lawmakers will be back Monday for a special session that has no set end date.

“We still have a chance to get this right,” said Rep. Shaw Blackmon, a Bonaire Republican who has led the House GOP’s efforts to target local property taxes.

House Republican leaders have prioritized property tax relief this year, saying it is needed to curb rising property taxes and help people who are struggling to stay in their homes. They unsuccessfully pushed to eliminate local property taxes statewide earlier this year, instead settling for a last-minute compromise that Democrats say is unconstitutional because of how it was passed.

The ongoing special session was originally called to redraw Georgia’s political maps – although those redistricting plans were abandoned – and to address a looming deadline for the state to stop using ballot QR codes to count votes. Gov. Brian Kemp later opened the door for lawmakers to tee up local property tax referendums. House Majority Chuck Efstration and other House Republicans criticized Democrats for voting against local property tax measures Saturday. Jill Nolin/Georgia Recorder

Dozens of referendums are in the works for communities all across the state, from Fannin County in north Georgia to Lowndes County in south Georgia.

“We missed an opportunity to help our neighbors today,” said Rep. Gerald Greene, a Cuthbert Republican who had sponsored several tax referendums for south Georgia communities.

Republicans control both chambers of the Legislature, but since the measures involve homestead exemptions, they need two-thirds support to pass. That means Democratic votes are needed in both chambers.

“Today what we witnessed once again was Republicans cosplaying a care for affordability in this state,” said Rep. Tanya Miller, an Atlanta Democrat who chairs the minority caucus and is the party’s nominee for attorney general.

“What they are trying to do is a bait and switch. What they propose today was nothing more than a tax increase on the people who are already hit the hardest,” she said, referring to the sales tax.

Republicans criticized Democrats for denying communities a chance to decide for themselves whether to lean more on sales tax revenue to offset property taxes on homeowners.

“This bill is very simple. It’s giving voters the chance to vote to lower their property taxes. Give voters that chance to do that,” said Rep. Scott Hilton, a Peachtree Corners Republican.

“I believe the minority party deep down knows this would overwhelmingly pass if put on the ballot, but voters are being denied that chance right now, denied the chance to have a more affordable life, to be able to afford their home, to stay in their homes,” he added.

House Minority Leader Carolyn Hugley, a Columbus Democrat, said GOP leaders are manufacturing a crisis by pursuing the tax measures during the special session instead of waiting until lawmakers return for their regular session in January.

She framed the proposed local tax referendums as a GOP ploy to turn out conservative voters in November.

“There is no reason for us to rush through this,” Hugley said. “The other thing is that you’re asking people to raise a sales tax on themselves so that homeowners can get a relief. You’re picking winners and losers, and that’s not what we should be doing here.”

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.

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