Category: Blog
Think Low Business Taxes Fuel Job Growth? Think Again.
Alan Essig
March 5, 2012
Once again Georgia is shown to be a low tax state. The Tax Foundation, a conservative think tank in Washington D.C., released a national study that compares how much different companies pay in taxes. The study reveals that Georgia has
Food for Thought on Georgia’s Medicaid Redesign
Timothy Sweeney
March 1, 2012
Although Georgia already spends less than most states on its Medicaid program, State leaders plan to “redesign” the program to save money. The state’s consultant (Navigant, Inc.) conducted a review of Georgia’s current Medicaid program and issued a report in
SB 447 Asks the Unemployed to Pay for Years of Employer Tax Cuts
Clare Richie
February 23, 2012
By now you have probably heard that Georgia owes a lot of money to the federal government, $736 million to be exact, for helping us pay state unemployment insurance (UI) benefits. What hasn’t received enough attention, however, is how Georgia got
Op-ed: So-called fix is a proven failure (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
Alan Essig
February 22, 2012
As posted in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Plans to eliminate or drastically cut personal income taxes and replace them with other levies are in vogue in several states. Georgia policy makers would do well to ignore the siren’s call. Such a
Guest Blogger: Matthew Gardner | Reality Check: “High Rate” Income Tax States are Outperforming No-Tax States
Alan Essig
February 16, 2012
The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) recently released a report that destroys the myth that states without an income tax perform better economically than the states with high income tax rates. ITEP’s Executive Director Matthew Gardner is our
The Tax Foundation says Georgia’s got a Business Tax Problem. Do Not Pay Attention.
Wesley Tharpe
February 10, 2012
If a car salesman told you that Fords are the highest ranked car, would you drive one off the lot without looking under the hood? A new report that ranks states on their “business tax climates” seems to hope you would. Put
Op-ed: Hope Reform 2.0 (Athens Banner-Herald)
Alan Essig
February 9, 2012
Essig, Johnson: HOPE, pre-k need sustainable path As published in Athens Banner-Herald Understanding the realities of lottery funding in Georgia is as simple as a word problem in math class. Take a look: Train A departs Hope City station at
Georgia’s Children and Families are Worth Fighting for
Clare Richie
February 2, 2012
This month Congress will address extending the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program through September 30, 2012. As of today, Congress has eliminated the TANF Supplemental Grant which leaves Georgia short $37.3 million for many health and human service
HB 718: Well-intentioned, well-designed, and must be paid for
Wesley Tharpe
January 26, 2012
Earlier this month, GBPI released a report evaluating a tax credit proposal called CAPCO that nearly passed the Georgia legislature last year. A poorly-designed piece of “model legislation” with a dismal track record in other states, CAPCO thankfully seems to
