Should Georgia Ax the Income Tax?
Several state senators are pushing a resolution that seeks the elimination of Georgia’s income tax. Tell us how you would vote on such a proposal.
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The Georgia income tax could one day become a thing of the past.
Several state senators have signed on to sponsor Senate Resolution 8, a proposal that would create a constitutional amendment to phase out the state’s income tax.
If the resolution is approved by the General Assembly and signed by the governor, Georgia voters would see this question on a future ballot: “Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to limit the authority of the General Assembly to impose an income tax and to phase out existing income taxes?”
A copy of the resolution is attached to this article in PDF form.
If voters approve the amendment, the state would phase out the income tax completely by the year 2027. The process would be gradual, reducing the tax rate by 0.5 percent every year until the income tax is eliminated.
“Eliminating the state income tax is the right thing to do for Georgia,” said Sen. John Albers, R-Roswell, in a release last month; Albers is one of the co-sponsors of the bill. “I am optimistic that my colleagues in both chambers will recognize the significance of eliminating Georgia’s income tax to support job creation and reduce the burden on our taxpayers.”
According to Albers’ release, many economists suggest that one of the most effective ways to promote job creation is to systematically eliminate the state income tax.
Several states do not have an income tax, including Florida, Tennessee, Texas, Wyoming, Washington, New Hampshire, Nevada and Alaska. Georgia's income tax rate is currently 6 percent.
Should Georgia get rid of its income tax?
Share what’s on your mind with us, and then return here to see what your neighbors in Paulding, Douglas and Cobb have said.
patrick
10:41 am on Friday, February 15, 2013
Always sounds good to pay less taxes - it's a siren song. But I would like to see the plan to make up those taxes in fees or other taxes that run our area services and infrastructure. I would also like to see the economic reports that Albers is reading. Most reports show the opposite effect on business growth and there isn't a state on the list of no state income taxes that we should emulate - there's been no dramatic increase in business for those states. We should want business to come here for our educated and skilled workers, our infrastructure and our services - it takes investments to do this. The Georgia budget is already in distress which will harm local budgets. Where is the plan to make up this shortfall?
Brian
12:39 pm on Saturday, February 16, 2013
Yes, exactly. Businesses are already turning away from Georgia because of our tax nothing, do nothing politicians. They aren't taken seriously anymore by businesses who want to see them working on infrastructure, traffic issues, education, etc.
Out, out, politicians. Out of the capital! We don't need you.
Ihate Fillingout Thesestupid-RegistrationstoReadsomething
12:31 pm on Friday, February 15, 2013
I like this idea. But I think it could be done sooner. I wish the article writer delved into HOW the state plans to make up for it. Those states with no income tax have higher taxes on other items.
Oldtimer
3:29 pm on Friday, February 15, 2013
It works well in TN, FL, and Texas. Their economies are improving much More than in GA
Oldtimer
3:29 pm on Friday, February 15, 2013
And Patrick...look again at Texas.....
Brian
3:32 am on Saturday, February 16, 2013
Yeah, what about Texas? It's a cesspool. The only halfway decent city there is Austin.
Frank Rambo
9:02 am on Saturday, February 16, 2013
Texas has oil. Their tax base is much broader than ours because of this.
patrick
5:38 pm on Friday, February 15, 2013
The claim is that more jobs will be created and that the burden on the taxpayer will be lower. These states don't have more jobs created, especially as a result of personal income tax policy. And they've replaced income taxes with all manner of fees and taxes on other things necessary for the working and middle class. Still believe it's an empty promise. I tend to look at the findings of experts like Reagan's chief economic advisor who has said there's no correlation between lower income tax and job or economy creation. Georgians should know what has driven the state’s economy and job creation over the years: investments in what counts - quality schools, skilled workforce, modern transportation systems, safe communities, health and senior services. This takes investment and makes Georgia more competitive. Competing on low taxes may get some short term wins but long term, we pay more and we lose more. I still believe this is a ruse to move to a consumption tax which will harm the retired, working and middle class - completely regressive.Texas has done exactly that and replaced income tax with sales taxes. My family in Texas enjoys the oil and gas economy there but pays for the lack of investment with poor infrastructure, weak schools and no health care. The sales tax on essentials is a bigger burden than an income tax.
Ira
9:35 pm on Friday, February 15, 2013
For the future of Georgia, we should eliminate the Income Tax as quick as possible.
Brian
3:31 am on Saturday, February 16, 2013
What? Yeah, let's put GA even more in the financial hole. Leave it up to republicans to cut taxes before they find offsets by reducing spending. It's a completely backwards way to do things. We can barely make ends meet as it is. The republicans and blue dogs running our state have done nothing but hurt metro Atlanta.
I have an idea! Why don't we divert some of the federal taxes to state taxes and then GA (and every other state) will have more to work with. Now, there's an idea.
Greg
7:49 am on Saturday, February 16, 2013
I don't know where you get your information but just last week the state said they may reduce state taxes because they have a surplus of hundreds of millions of dollars (cannot remember the exact amount) I think everyone should be paying taxes, not just the people in the middle and upper classes, and have Ga. get some of the money that the Feds give out in entitlements back. And we all know there are plenty of these in the Atlanta area. And the only thing hurting Atlanta is the Atlanta city leaders. What a bunch of losers.
Brian
12:45 pm on Saturday, February 16, 2013
Greg: Really? It's easy to say you have a surplus when you aren't paying your bills. Considering the DOT is under-funded and can't keep up with the traffic problems in the metro area, isn't properly funding transit, etc. The only money we get to improve the roads is from SPLOST. We'll see what happens when all the furloughs and such end. Look at the Decatur school system for instance. The state is responsible for a lot of the waste in local school systems because of the laws they pass allowing school systems to do things like conference trips, sometimes at millions of dollars. Most of the school system's waste in Cobb County is due to the state.
They should solve problems like that first before cutting taxes, so they aren't cutting important programs like transit and road upgrades.
IF the state gets rid of taxes, we should probably just disband the state government and switch to regional governments.
Brian
12:52 pm on Saturday, February 16, 2013
The other major thing to mention is that our unemployment problem is mainly due to people being trained in the wrong areas. We have to use E-splost to solve that problem, since the state is so underfunded as it is (and mismanaging the schools so much) that they can't afford important investments like that. The unemployment problem is due to lack fo investments, not taxes.