"It's time to say 'NO' when fiscal irresponsibility is forced upon us.”

- Representative Charlice Byrd

I was proud to oppose the AFY25 budget. We are all overtaxed by our government, who is out of control on spending. It's time to reign things in. It's time to say 'NO' when fiscal irresponsibility is forced upon us.

As Chair of the Georgia Freedom Caucus, I'd like the share the following press release, which went out on Wednesday, February 5th, 2025.

Georgia Freedom Caucus Statement on
AFY25 Budget

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:

[email protected]

Georgia Freedom Caucus Statement on AFY25 Budget

Atlanta – Regarding the Amended Fiscal Year 25 budget, the Governor has decided

that Georgia should increase spending in the current fiscal year by more than $4.4

billion, with concurrence from the House and Senate Appropriations Committees. This

$4.4 billion will account for nearly 11% of state dollars spent in FY25. Our state

government is out of control on spending. When Governor Kemp, along with the House

and Senate Appropriations Committees, see tax revenue they seemingly see nothing

more than money to spend. Meanwhile the citizens of Georgia are on the hook for

$40.55 billion. Then members are ordered to give a single yes/no vote on the entire

budget. There’s no ability to vote on the individual merits of each line item. The process

does not reflect a representative government.

Our Republican leaders give us tales of balanced budgets. They say we don’t do

business in the irresponsible manner that Congress does its business. Yet our state will

find itself $8.77 billion in debt at the end of this fiscal year. Our state will spend $1.29

billion in the current fiscal year to service this debt. This equates to a tax burden larger

than the $250 per person that our leaders brag about handing out via one-time tax

credits, which costs $1 billion. We have called for the state income tax to be eliminated

in no more than 10 years, with a proposed plan to do it in 6. The people who claim that

is impossible are the same people who are spending like maniacs in this budget.

We should be using at least a large portion of the $4.4 billion on paying down our debt.

Years with increased revenue are times we should be getting our fiscal house in order,

not punting for later. We have the means to give a large tax break to Georgians, yet our

leaders refuse to do anything more than a 0.1% reduction in taxes. This is

unacceptable. We brag about $250 per person, but it could be permanent tax cuts of so

much more.

When hard working citizens struggle to put food on their tables, our first priority should

be to relieve their tax burden. If we are worried about shortfalls, though unlikely at this

point, the revenue could be used to prepare us for those shortfalls. Yet we face a

surplus and are completely thwarting the opportunity to get our fiscal house in order and

set the citizenry up for significant tax cuts.

Our spending is out of control, our taxes are too high, our debt is too high, and someone

must stand up and say NO. We oppose this budget and encourage our colleagues to

vote against it.