(ATLANTA, Ga.) — Ahead of his trip to Davos, Switzerland, Georgia Governor Brian P. Kemp presented his recommendations for the AFY 2023 and FY 2024 budgets to the Georgia General Assembly. Items in the budget are intended to meet state requirements, while also providing investment in education, health, and safety.
Notable among the details in the report include an additional $62.5 million to fully fund HOPE Scholarships and grant awards, increasing their coverage from 60% to 100% of tuition.
AJC reporter Greg Bluestein spoke with former Democratic governor candidate Stacy Evans (D-Smyrna), who ran her 2018 campaign largely on HOPE reform, who said “These HOPE changes help a lot, and I’m so grateful for them. But, there is more we can do to leverage the $1.3 billion in unrestricted lottery reserve funds currently available.
$35.7 million was reallocated within OneGeorgia to create a Rural Housing Workforce Fund. This is a program designed to help local development authorities prepare for housing projects coming down the pipeline across the state.
“Hard-working Georgians deserve to live in the same communities where they work,” Kemp said. As housing prices continue to climb across the metro area, this measure is aimed at helping keep housing affordable.
Additional points include:
- $1 billion to provide an income tax refund, ranging from $250 to $500 per eligible taxpayer
- $1.1 billion for property tax relief, a one-time payment averaging $500 per eligible homeowner
- $303 million to raise education salaries by $2000 each
- $92 million to reduce insurance premiums and increase affordability of healthcare
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