ATLANTA — Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law Tuesday one of the largest state income tax cuts in Georgia history — and he did it in the very county where his chief GOP rival David Perdue grew up.
Perdue wants to eliminate the state income tax altogether, though many top lawmakers don’t think that’s a good idea. So they came up with this incremental tax cut that will cut your state taxes over five years.
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“I strongly believe that government should take in the very least amount possible needed to serve the people properly,” Kemp said.
Right now, the state income tax rate is just below 6%.
Starting Jan. 1, 2024, that tax rate will drop incrementally for five years until it reaches just 4% in 2029.
But the law does have some built-in circuit breakers in case a recession causes the state to miss some specific economic growth targets.
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If that happens, the tax cut will be delayed a full year until those targets are met.
“We must never forget that taxpayer dollars are the people’s money. They’re not the government’s,” Kemp said.
Perdue doesn’t think the tax cuts go nearly far enough. He’s been calling for a complete elimination of the state income tax for months now, something other GOP lawmakers like House Speaker David Ralston worry would hamstring state finances.
On Monday, Perdue said it’s time Georgia made a change in leadership.
“We have a governor who was embattled, and who I think really showed the true colors of why he is a weak leader, and why we need to make a change,” Perdue said. “I really believe that a weakened governor was exposed.”
Houston County is also where Perdue’s first cousin, former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue, is from. He joined Kemp for a big economic announcement bringing 800 jobs to Houston County, but he was not there as part of a campaign event.
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