Author Blog Budget and Taxes Wesley Tharpe Proposed Insurance Industry Tax Credit a $139 Million Budget Drain March 10, 2015 / January 17, 2020 by Wesley Tharpe A proposed new tax credit program that benefits insurance companies would cost Georgia an estimated $139 million in lost revenue by 2023. The credit is part of a complicated finance program designed to create investment in low-income communities. But the experiences of other states offer cautionary tales that should give Georgia lawmakers pause before they […] Read more » State Taxes
Author Budget and Taxes Library Policy Areas Reports Wesley Tharpe “New Markets” Tax Credit is a Bad Investment March 9, 2015 / January 17, 2020 by Wesley Tharpe Bill Analysis: House Bill 439 (LC 37 1964ERS) House Bill 439 proposes a costly new tax break called the Georgia New Markets credit that would drain state coffers when lawmakers already struggle to find enough revenue for transportation, education and other vital needs. The goal of the credit is to increase private investment in low-income […] Read more » State Taxes
Author Blog Wesley Tharpe Worker Justice Lift Georgia’s Economy with a Higher Minimum Wage February 23, 2015 / January 15, 2020 by Wesley Tharpe This month I spoke to a state senate committee about the merits of Senate Bill 15, legislation that could boost Georgia’s minimum wage to $10.10 per hour from its current effective rate of $7.25. The senate bill is similar to a proposal GBPI described in 2014 in our report “Better Pay for Honest Work.” Our […] Read more »
Author Budget and Taxes Library Policy Areas Reports Wesley Tharpe Tax Plan Needs Course Correction February 4, 2015 / January 16, 2020 by Wesley Tharpe House Transportation Package Leaves out New Revenues, Could Harm Key Services Georgia needs a sustained commitment to transportation that includes new revenues or it will struggle to thrive in the 21st century. A funding proposal unveiled by House legislative leaders in January 2015 includes some reasonable reforms of Georgia’s gas tax system but could cause […] Read more » State Taxes
Author Budget and Taxes Fact Sheets Library Policy Areas Wesley Tharpe Tax Facts: Georgia Gives Up Billions through the Tax Code January 27, 2015 / January 16, 2020 by Wesley Tharpe Georgia foregoes billions of dollars in state revenue each year through dozens of credits, deductions and other special preferences called tax expenditures. As with spending items in the state’s annual budget, tax expenditures are supposed to promote policy priorities that can range from economic development to support for working families. But while the budget sets […] Read more » State Taxes
Author Blog Budget and Taxes Wesley Tharpe Billions in Tax Breaks Limit Georgia’s Spending Options January 27, 2015 / January 16, 2020 by Wesley Tharpe Georgia will forego about $8 billion in the upcoming 2016 budget year due to dozens of credits, deductions and other tax breaks enacted over the years by state lawmakers. That’s the big news in our latest analysis of Georgia’s January 2015 tax expenditure report, released along with Gov. Nathan Deal’s proposed budget. As advocates, legislators […] Read more » State Taxes
Author Blog Budget and Taxes Wesley Tharpe Unaccountable Agriculture Tax Break Hurting Rural Georgia December 4, 2014 / January 15, 2020 by Wesley Tharpe | 1 Comment on Unaccountable Agriculture Tax Break Hurting Rural Georgia A set of sales tax breaks passed by Georgia lawmakers in 2012 is a growing hardship for city and county governments struggling to fund schools, parks, libraries and other essential services. The problem is felt most outside of metro Atlanta, due to the larger than expected local revenue loss from a generous new tax break […] Read more » State Taxes
Author Blog Wesley Tharpe Worker Justice Raise Georgia’s Minimum Wage to Expand Middle Class, Strengthen Economy November 12, 2014 / January 17, 2020 by Wesley Tharpe | 2 Comments on Raise Georgia’s Minimum Wage to Expand Middle Class, Strengthen Economy Over the last few months I’ve found myself tipping a little extra at my favorite local restaurants and dishing out some extra courtesy when I buy from my favorite neighborhood shops. It’s not because I’m any nicer than the next person or that I recently came into newfound wealth. It’s because since this summer I’ve […] Read more »
Author Library Policy Areas Reports Wesley Tharpe Worker Justice Better Pay for Honest Work November 12, 2014 / January 17, 2020 by Wesley Tharpe Raise Georgia’s Minimum Wage to Expand Middle Class, Strengthen Economy Georgia’s economy is increasingly tilted toward the types of jobs that don’t pay workers enough to make ends meet or keep their families out of poverty. They are food servers at local restaurants. Retail clerks selling products they can’t afford. Home health aides helping the […] Read more »
Author Blog Budget and Taxes Wesley Tharpe Georgia Voters Should Reject Tax Cap Constitutional Amendment October 30, 2014 / January 17, 2020 by Wesley Tharpe Next Tuesday, Nov. 4, Georgians will head to the polls to vote in what could be one of the most competitive elections in the state’s modern history. But you may be unaware that the most lasting legacy you can create for the state is how you vote on Constitutional Amendment A, sometimes described as the […] Read more » State Taxes
