Speaking to the public for the first time since signing the state’s mid-year budget (Photo: Flickr)
Speaking to the public for the first time since signing the state’s mid-year budget, Governor Brian Kemp said the state’s multibillion-dollar reserve will provide a cushion that most states will not have during any unforeseen economic downturns.
Kemp signed off on the revised bill on Friday. It includes rebates for both income and property tax filers, as it did last year: $250 for single filers and $500 for married couples filing jointly. Homeowners will also receive an average of $500 in property tax rebates.
The bill for the mid-year budget also includes funds to expand nurse training and assist paraprofessionals in becoming certified teachers. Officials say $92 million has been allocated to the state’s reinsurance program to lower healthcare premiums, and $115 million has been allocated to schools for safety upgrades, which works out to around $50,000 per Georgia school.
Kemp stated that the mid-year budget should send a message to Washington, D.C. lawmakers as they go through their budget negotiations.
READ ALSO: Tax Return 2023 : Minimum Taxable Income For Taxpayers
However, Kemp and lawmakers disagreed on one issue: the state’s HOPE Scholarship. Kemp wanted it fully funded, but lawmakers only agreed to 95%.
“I support that, but this is a process that we’re going through,” Kemp said. “I know the General Assembly is still debating it, and I’m going to fight for my position because I believe it’s the right thing to do.”
“The great thing about having a $6 billion surplus is that it allows us to meet a lot of needs,” Lt. Gov. Burt Jones said. “However, the disadvantage of having a $6 billion surplus is that everyone believes their needs will be met, and we must make difficult decisions to do so.”
READ ALSO: Up To $500 Income Tax Rebates From House Bill 162 Worth $6.6 Billion Budget Surplus
