In their effort to expand rural prosperity and economic mobility, the State House Rural Development Council proposed their solution to revitalize and repopulate Georgia’s most rural communities.

The “Rural Relocate and Reside” program intends to provide a one-time, 10-year state income tax deduction amounting to $50,000 per person for residents who are willing to relocate. The program includes 124 of Georgia’s 159 counties. Like similar tax incentive proposals, the Rural Relocate and Reside program is expected to attract workforces to rural areas. In addition, local governments could implement 10-year property tax exemptions through voter referendums. Through this program, state income tax deduction would double to $100,000 per person per year in participating counties.

Additional recommendations created to aid rural Georgia include access to adequate healthcare, eliminating the state’s Certificate of Need regulation, rural broadband, a Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovations, and educational development.

Provisions will be presented to state lawmakers during the 2018 session for legislative action.

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