ATLANTA – Gov. Brian Kemp announced Friday he is investing $240 million in federal COVID relief funds in expanding Georgia’s high-speed internet infrastructure.
“Whether you own a small business in rural Georgia, run a farm that utilizes precision agriculture technology, or have children that need to do their homework, the expansion of high-speed internet impacts all Georgians,” Kemp said.
“Regardless of location, access to broadband service is essential for all communities in the Peach State to thrives. I remain committed to helping improve the lives of our citizens by closing the digital divide in our state.”
Many areas of the state still lack broadband access, according to a map published by the state government.
The Kemp administration will have invested over $1 billion in expanding broadband access by the end of the year, the governor’s statement said.
The funds will be administered through a competitive grant program. Further details about applying for the new grants will be released next week.
This story is available through a news partnership with Capitol Beat News Service, a project of the Georgia Press Educational Foundation.
Gov. Brian Kemp announced tax rebate proposals on Thursday in Atlanta. (photo credit: Rebecca Grapevine)
ATLANTA – Gov. Brian Kemp announced Thursday he plans to issue around $2 billion in income and property tax rebates to Georgians next year – if he wins re-election in November.
Record economic growth in Georgia has given the state a budget surplus and some of that money should be returned to people’s pockets, Kemp said.
Kemp’s proposed $1 billion tax rebate would provide $250 income tax rebates to single filers, $375 rebates to single filers who are heads of household and $500 rebates to married couples filing jointly next year, Kemp said.
The income tax rebate would be similar to the extra income tax rebates most Georgia taxpayers received this summer, Kemp noted.
Kemp proposed an additional $1 billion in property tax rebates. This would mean Georgia homeowners would get an estimated $500 rebate to offset higher property tax bills.
“This Georgia Homeowner Rebate will save an average homeowner between 15 and 25% on their local property tax bill next year,” Kemp said.
“For young Georgians just getting settled into their first home or parents sending their kids off to college, unforeseen jumps in property values and local tax bills only add to the uncertain times we are in,” Kemp said. “This will put real money back in the pockets of hardworking Georgians.”
Kemp took credit for Georgia’s budget surplus, pointing to his administration’s economic development successes, especially in rural parts of the state.
His administration has brought in a total of $21.2 billion in investments to the Peach State over the last year, Kemp said earlier this week.
A spokesperson for Democrat Stacey Abrams – who is running against Kemp for the governorship – criticized Kemp’s proposals.
“Stacey Abrams has proposed giving tax relief to middle-class families and working Georgians,” said Alex Floyd on behalf of the Abrams campaign.
“Kemp’s plan would give tax handouts to millionaires while he still refuses to expand Medicaid and lower healthcare costs for Georgians,” Floyd said. “Georgians need relief today.”
This story is available through a news partnership with Capitol Beat News Service, a project of the Georgia Press Educational Foundation.
ATLANTA – New investment in Georgia topped $21.2 billion during the last fiscal year, with 358 projects creating 51,132 jobs, Gov. Brian Kemp announced Wednesday.
The investment and jobs figures surpassed the state’s previous records by 94% and 53%, respectively.
“We are proud companies continue to recognize the advantages of Georgia’s business-friendly environment, superior logistics network, [and] top-ranked workforce training program,” Kemp said during a ceremony inside the Georgia Capitol.
The two biggest economic development projects in Georgia history played a big role in the success of fiscal 2022. Electric-vehicle manufacturer Rivian, Hyundai Motor Group and 10 other automotive projects were responsible for nearly 16,000 of the new jobs.
With neither Rivian nor Hyundai located in the 10-county Atlanta region, 85% of the investments in the last fiscal year occurred in other parts of the Peach State.
Other sectors besides auto manufacturing that saw big investment and job gains were advanced manufacturing – including EV industry suppliers – bioscience and financial technology.
Foreign direct investment accounted for more than $8 billion. The top five sources were South Korea, Germany, Japan, France, and the Netherlands.
“No matter where your business is headquartered, when you decide to grow in Georgia, you become a Georgia company,” state Commissioner of Economic Development Pat Wilson said. “Georgia’s record-breaking numbers are the result of years of dedication to prioritizing the creation of high-quality jobs in every corner of the state.”
This story is available through a news partnership with Capitol Beat News Service, a project of the Georgia Press Educational Foundation.
ATLANTA – A new report from the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families has found that about 20% of Georgia women of childbearing age are uninsured.
The rate of uninsured women between 18 and 44 years old is one of the highest in the country, putting Georgia in 46th place on a national ranking, the report said.
Almost half of women of childbearing age who identify as Latina are uninsured, the report found. That’s nearly double the national average.
The report comes as Georgia policy makers work to improve maternal and infant health.
In 2020, there were 24.5 maternal deaths in Georgia per 100,000 live births, slightly above the national rate. Maternal mortality rates are particularly high among Black women, who face a rate of 41 deaths per 100,000 live births, the report said.
Some women and infants can get insurance through Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), so the report also looked at how well those programs provide infant and maternal care.
The information reflects the latest federal data, which is from 2019, before the pandemic.
Just above three-quarters of women on Medicaid or CHIP are receiving timely prenatal care, putting Georgia in 30th place. About two-thirds of new mothers are getting adequate postpartum care.
About 12.1% of new births covered by the programs are low birthweight (under 2,500 grams), putting Georgia 48th in the state rankings.
And just over two-thirds of Georgia children on Medicaid and CHIP are getting all of their recommended check-ups during the first 15 months of life, the report said, putting Georgia in 21st place.
“This report not only paints a bleak picture of existing health coverage gaps for all women of reproductive age in Georgia, but also shows how the state’s poor performance on maternal and infant health issues could lead to widening disparities in health,” said Joan Alker, executive director of the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families.
“The state’s decision not to expand Medicaid continues to put the health of its mothers at risk and undermines the opportunity for Georgia’s children to get a healthy start in life.”
Gov. Brian Kemp and other Georgia Republican leaders have remained staunchly opposed to Medicaid expansion in the state, citing its costs. Georgia is now one of 12 states that have not expanded Medicaid.
“Traditional Medicaid expansion would cause approximately 200,000 people to lose the ability to purchase health insurance for free,” Kemp spokeswoman Katie Byrd said.
The federal government this week denied Kemp’s plan to set up a private health insurance marketplace in Georgia. The governor’s plan would have allowed 50,000 uninsured Georgians to purchase private insurance, Byrd said.
Kemp has taken other steps to improve women’s health in the state, Byrd said.
The governor supported bills to expand postpartum Medicaid coverage from six months to one year following birth and create supportive housing for pregnant women and new mothers. He also added funding to the state’s budget to support mothers with cardiovascular conditions, Byrd said.
The state Medicaid agency recently announced it will provide additional funding to safety-net hospitals Grady Memorial and Augusta University Medical Center to improve health outcomes, Byrd said.
This story is available through a news partnership with Capitol Beat News Service, a project of the Georgia Press Educational Foundation.
ATLANTA – Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams has tested positive for COVID-19, her campaign announced Wednesday.
Abrams, who is challenging Republican Gov. Brian Kemp’s bid for a second term, tested positive for the virus Wednesday morning after testing negative both Monday and Tuesday.
“She is fully vaccinated and boosted and experiencing mild symptoms,” according to a statement from the campaign. “Consistent with [federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] guidelines, she will isolate at home and looks forward to traveling across the state to meet Georgians as soon as possible.”
Abrams’ negative test on Tuesday came before she delivered a speech on the economy in Atlanta. The positive test showed up so quickly because she tests for COVID-19 daily.
There was no word Wednesday on when Abrams might be able to get back to the campaign trail.
This story is available through a news partnership with Capitol Beat News Service, a project of the Georgia Press Educational Foundation.
