Governor Brian Kemp voiced his support for school vouchers, the completion of the Atlanta Police and Fire Training Center, pay raises for public school teachers and state employees, and a tepid support of healthcare expansions during his annual State of the State Address.
Governor Kemp also made contrasts from his administration to President Biden’s administration and Blue States, in his biggest signal yet that he could become a player in national politics in years to come.
“My commitment to the people of our state is very simple: an upfront promise to put hard working Georgians first,” Kemp said. “Our priorities like education, public safety, and health care, but also keep the government efficient, responsible and accountable. The federal government may have abandoned those principles. But here in Georgia, thanks to the partnership between my administration and the General Assembly, we deliver real results for the people of our state ahead of schedule and under budget. Thanks to a strong and calm and conservative fiscal management of state revenues.”
Those revenues have resulted in an $11 billion surplus, despite falling tax revenues. During his speech, Kemp proposed a 4% cost of living increase for public employees and a $2,500 raise for teachers.
In the midst of that, Kemp offered his support for school vouchers. During his address, Kemp said the free market drives competition and innovation that results in a better product for the consumer. He also believed the same principles hold true for education.
“I believe we have run out of ‘next years,’ ” Kemp said during his annual State of the State address to a joint session of the Georgia House and Senate. “I firmly believe we can take an all-of-the-above approach to education, whether it’s public, private, homeschooling, charter or otherwise.”
During last year’s legislative session, eighteen Republicans voted against a plan that would create $6,500 vouchers. At the time, Democrats hated the idea because the funding for the vouchers would come directly from the Georgia State Budget. They also made the argument the move would fundamentally destroy Georgia’s K-12 public education system.
“He is using his political power to block Medicaid expansion and defund public schools,” said Rep. Billy Mitchell, D-Stone Mountain, Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus.
Next, Governor Kemp applauded Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum for their efforts in fighting crime. Kemp used the moment to voice his support for the full completion of the Atlanta Police and Fire Training Center, to rapturous applause in the House Chamber.
“While the mayor and I come from different political parties and don’t agree on everything, we do agree on the importance of reducing crime and keeping our citizens safe,” Kemp said. “Bipartisan majorities of both chambers, the mayor, and myself all agree on the critical need for the completion of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center.”
On January 18, 2023, The Georgia Bureau of Investigation alleged environmental activist Manuel “Tortuguita” Terán fired the first gunshot from inside a tent after ignoring officers’ orders and refusing to come out, hitting Georgia State Trooper Jerry A. Parrish. Terán was subsequently shot and killed. Parrish was recognized during Kemp’s State of the State address after recovering from his injuries. Since then, sixty-one protesters of the site they dubbed as “Cop City” were charged by Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr under the state’s RICO Statute and the trial is scheduled to begin this month.
“As long as I’m your governor, there will be no gray area or political double talk: We support our law enforcement officers. We support our firefighters and first responders,” Kemp said.
The first phase of the Atlanta Police and Fire Training Center is set to open later this year.
“That is why last year, thanks to the work of the General Assembly, I was proud to sign a budget that included a $6,000 pay raise for state law enforcement officers,” Kemp said. “That pay raise was a recognition of the contributions these brave men and women make as they put their lives on the line, day in and day out.”
Regarding healthcare expansion, the Democrats said Georgia Republicans know they have policies that are indefensible. During the Georgia Chamber’s annual Eggs and Issues legislative breakfast, Georgia House Speaker, Jon Burns, said the House’s top priority would be increasing access, lowering cost and creating better outcomes for Georgia families will be a top priority. Moreover, during Eggs and Issues, Governor Kemp proposed $50 million that would help fund the creation of a medical school at the University of Georgia because he said the state has had trouble recruiting healthcare professionals.
“With these new assets on the way we will further address the growing need for healthcare professionals in our state and ensure that we are doing everything that we can to address the challenges across the healthcare spectrum, from workforce to cost to access to quality,” said Kemp.
Democrats seized on the fact rural healthcare in Georgia is largely non-existent. The current inability to access equitable and quality healthcare that is within minutes from residents in rural Georgia is woefully unacceptable. Additionally, the closures of the Atlanta Medical Center in 2022 and Wellstar’s closure of its care center in East Point on January 12th, also presents challenges to individuals in Fulton County needing care.
“We need a people-centered legislative plan,” Mitchell said. “Instead the governor has kept his head in the sand. He is using his political power to block Medicaid expansion. Each year they block Medicaid expansion, it costs Georgians $3 billion. The people of Georgia are being misled. They’re flushing literally billions of dollars of taxpayer dollars down the drain.”
Georgia is one of ten states that has not agreed to expand the Medicaid program.
“This isn’t just a policy oversight, it is a moral failing,” said Georgia State Senator Nabilah Islam Parkes, a Democrat from Lawrenceville. Hundreds of thousands of our people are left without adequate health care. Consider this: a modest investment of less than 1% of this state budget would fully expand Medicaid and unlock new federal funding. This move would not just be a lifeline for those in need of health care. It would be a catalyst for economic growth, projected to generate over $65 billion in new economic activity in Georgia over a decade and support more than 56,000 new jobs across the state.”
While Kemp was completing his address, the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget released a $37.5 billion mid-year budget request and a $36.1 billion spending proposal for fiscal 2025. The legislature’s budget writing committees will meet for three days next week to review the two budgets.
“In an election year, I don’t expect us all to agree on every issue,” Kemp said. “But in the middle of all that, I ask that we also remember Georgia is different for a reason. That our success is not an accident, but the result of resilient people who elected their leaders to keep state government efficient, responsive and accountable.”