Gov. Brian Kemp’s gas tax “emergency” could do more than give Georgia drivers a temporary reprieve on the state sales tax on motor fuel. He also hopes it could pay political dividends at a tricky moment for Republicans.
The emergency order gives him an opportunity to shift the conversation away from former President Donald Trump’s legal peril, something he’s gamely tried to do in a series of speeches and TV appearances since he signed the order Tuesday.
Kemp also seeks to corner Democratic lawmakers by forcing them to agree with his tax break — or risk opposing it ahead of a 2024 election season when key legislative districts could be up for grabs.
A similar scenario played out during last year’s governor’s election campaign, when Democrat Stacey Abrams tried to preempt Kemp in June 2022 by calling for the Republican to suspend the gas tax through December. She even rolled out ads at fuel pumps highlighting her stance.
Kemp instead signed new orders each month to extend the break, using each occasion as an opportunity to blame Democrats for elevated fuel prices. With another election looming, some Democrats have tried to pivot — praising the tax incentive while pressing for more spending.
Credit: Lynsey Weatherspoon/The New York Times
Credit: Lynsey Weatherspoon/The New York Times
State Rep. Michelle Au, a Democrat who represents a competitive Johns Creek-based district, said Kemp’s order will “offer some short-term savings to many.” But she added that the roughly $150 million tab for the break would go a long way toward the long-held goal of expanding Medicaid.
“What’s the best value for Georgians’ tax dollars?” she asked.
State Sen. Elena Parent, D-Atlanta, took it a step further. She used Kemp’s move to demand that the governor dip into a surplus topping $5 billion to also fund new mental health initiatives, hike salaries of state workers and fight child poverty.
“The bigger issue is that we have an enormous surplus due to overly conservative revenue estimates that we should use to invest in Georgia’s infrastructure and human capital,” she said.
As for Kemp, he seemed relieved to talk about something other than the plight of Republicans torn by Trump’s indictments in four different cases, including one in Fulton County. In a series of appearances on Wednesday, he attacked President Joe Biden’s economic agenda as he cast his policies as a salve for struggling Georgians.
“The Biden administration is still living on a sugar high from giving out and spending too much government money for way too long, and not getting people back into the workforce,” he said on Fox News.
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Credit: AJC
Credit: AJC
HALEY HELP. We’re exactly four months and a day away from the 2024 GOP caucuses in Iowa. There’s still time for the non-Donald Trump candidates to break through and challenge the former president, but they’ll need plenty of cash to do it.
To that end, former United Nations ambassador and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley was in Atlanta on Tuesday for two events. State Rep. Deb Silcox, R-Sandy Springs, former Georgia Senate candidate Leah Aldridge and others hosted a “Women for Nikki” event at The Select in Sandy Springs, which brought about 100 women out to hear Haley’s message.
A packed fundraiser at Atlanta donor Tom Bell’s Buckhead home followed. That event was co-hosted by GOP power players Eric Tanenblatt, Guy Milner, Steve Selig and others.
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Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
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MORE LOEFFLER? Former U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler wasn’t just seen in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, she posted a picture of herself near the Capitol with the caption, “Great to see former colleagues and friends on the Hill. Excited to be working on ‘24 and putting America first again!”
The social media post only added fuel to speculation about Loeffler’s political plans for 2024 and beyond.
While her name has circulated as a potential candidate for governor in 2026, Loeffler’s post was a reminder that, as a GOP mega-donor with strong connections in Washington, she could also run against Democratic U. S. Sen. Jon Ossoff when he’s up for reelection.
But Loeffler could have trouble on her right flank, if a comment on her post from far-right state Sen. Colton Moore is any indication. The Republican from Trenton, who has been battling state leaders over his call for a special legislative session to “defund” Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, wrote to Loeffler: “Call it quits.”
Moore is targeting Willis over her indictment of former President Donald Trump and 18 others in a 2020 election interference case.
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Credit: Courtesy photo
Credit: Courtesy photo
RIVERWALK UPDATE. Is former Augusta Mayor Ed McIntyre a villain or a visionary?
We told you about the push to rename the city’s Riverwalk for McIntyre in a Jolt post earlier this week. On Wednesday, a key Augusta panel voted 3-1 to adopt the name of the city’s first Black mayor despite controversy over his past.
McIntyre helped push for the creation of the riverfront downtown park — one of the area’s top attractions — during his administration. But his legacy was tarnished by a 1984 resignation that followed a felony conviction for extortion.
The renaming isn’t a done deal, but the vote by the Augusta-Richmond County’s Administrative Services Committee sets the stage for approval by the full commission next week.
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Credit: Bob Andres/AJC
Credit: Bob Andres/AJC
SAPELO STAND. Georgia House Rep. Al Williams on Wednesday called for legislative action to protect the Gullah-Geechee residents of Hog Hammock, a tiny town located on Sapelo Island along the Georgia coast.
Speaking at a Joint House and Senate Committee on Economic Development & Tourism meeting at the Governor’s Tourism Conference, Williams said a local zoning change approved Tuesday night by the McIntosh County Commission will “eradicate the Gullah-Geechee culture” on Sapelo.
Williams, D-Midway, then suggested the Georgia General Assembly step in to protect Sapelo residents, many of whom are descendants of enslaved people brought to the island in the 1700s and 1800s to work on plantations.
“That is a local issue, but most local issues in Georgia exist at the pleasure of the Legislature,” Williams said. “If we can pull a city charter, we can find a way to solve the issues on Sapelo Island.”
Williams’ comments received a loud ovation from Governor’s Tourism Conference attendees at the Jekyll Island Convention Center, located three islands south of Sapelo.
Our Jolt colleague Adam Van Brimmer reported on the McIntosh Commission’s decision to allow homes up to 3,000 square feet on Sapelo — more than double the previous standard — and how it has sparked concerns of off-island buyers acquiring properties and pushing out the 40 or so Gullah-Geechee residents.
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ANOTHER STANDSTILL. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy met behind closed doors Wednesday morning with fellow House Republicans. He hasn’t quelled his critics despite the widespread praise for his decision to launch an impeachment inquiry of President Joe Biden.
McCarthy, R-Calif., had hoped to bring the defense appropriations bill to the floor Wednesday for a procedural vote. The move would have allowed debate to begin on just the second of 12 spending packages the House must pass ahead of a Sept. 30 deadline to avoid a government shutdown.
But McCarthy lacked the votes from GOP lawmakers to advance the measure and the speaker removed the defense funding legislation from this week’s agenda.
Instead, the House took two votes Wednesday on non-controversial legislation and will debate a non-appropriations bill today.
Meanwhile, the Senate will take a procedural vote today on a “minibus” package that combines three of the 12 appropriations bills. The funding plan is expected to pass with bipartisan support because the Senate spending bills do not contain the funding cuts and culture wars language found in the House bills.
House Republicans are unlikely to support these Senate proposals. And some hardliners say they won’t back a continuing resolution to fund the government at current levels beyond the Sept. 30 deadline, increasing the likelihood of a government shutdown.
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TODAY IN WASHINGTON:
- President Joe Biden travels to Largo, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, D.C., to deliver a speech on his economic agenda and the current budget stalemate in the House. In the evening, he will participate in a call with rabbis ahead of the Jewish High Holy Days.
- The U.S. Senate continues debate on appropriations bills.
- The U.S. House has one vote scheduled on legislation to prevent the federal government from outlawing the sale of gas-powered vehicles.
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Credit: Curtis Compton/AJC
Credit: Curtis Compton/AJC
HONORING DEAL. Former Gov. Nathan Deal and the late Sandra Deal, along with former Clinton appointee Veronica Biggins, will be honored at the 34th annual Heroes, Saints & Legends Gala benefiting the Foundation of Wesley Woods.
The event will be at 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 21 at Flourish by Legendary Events. The well-attended annual event began in 1990 and has raised more than $7.8 million for charitable care, pastoral care and wellness programming at Wesley Woods.
Deal was governor from 2011 to 2019, during which time Sandra Deal championed early learning and literacy. She read to more than 850 classes in schools across the state.
Biggins, who served as an assistant to Clinton, is the board chair of Savannah College of Art and Design and a board member of the Woodruff Arts Center Foundation, Metro Atlanta Chamber and the Carter Center Board of Councilors.
Past HSL honorees have included former U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young, former Atlanta Mayor Ivan Allen Jr. and former first lady Rosalynn Carter.
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Credit: Courtesy photo
Credit: Courtesy photo
DOG OF THE DAY. Josh White has seen the light. The former finance director for Democrat Charlie Bailey’s last two statewide campaigns has left his 20-year career in politics for greener pastures, literally.
White is the new executive director for Peachtree Creek Greenway, Inc., a nonprofit that supports the multi-use trail connecting communities on the North Fork Peachtree Creek. That brings us to Lucy and Ricky, the Boston terriers who not only call White their person but also managed to convince him to swap out a desk-job in politics for one that supports their hobbies of swimming, taking walks and chasing squirrels (pictured here on a dock on the creek).
Well played, Lucy and Ricky. You’re our Dogs of the Day!
Send us your dogs of any political persuasion and location, and cats on a cat-by-cat basis, to patricia.murphy@ajc.com, or DM us at @MurphyAJC.
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AS ALWAYS, Jolt readers are some of our favorite tipsters. Send your best scoop, gossip and insider info to adam.vanbrimmer@ajc.com, patricia.murphy@ajc.com, tia.mitchell@ajc.com and greg.bluestein@ajc.com.
