For the second time in three years, Gov. Brian Kemp is giving Georgians a tax rebate worth more than $1 billion.
Kemp said Tuesday he will include the rebate in the mid-year budget he introduces to the General Assembly in January. He said the extra money will come in handy, particularly for Georgians who suffered losses from Hurricane Helene. Tuesday’s announcement was the second tax relief measure the governor has issued in recent weeks. Kemp temporarily suspended collection of the state sales tax on gasoline and other motor fuels shortly after Helene struck large portions of South Georgia and the Augusta region.
Under the new tax rebate, single tax filers will receive $250. A single filer who is the head of his or her household will get $375, and married couples filing jointly will receive $500.
Kemp said the state can afford the rebate because conservative budgeting has helped the state build up a huge budget surplus. He said he’d rather send that money back to taxpayers instead of pouring it into new government programs.