Georgia Chamber Strongly Opposes HB 1035

On Thursday, June 25, 2020, the Georgia Senate Rules Committee scheduled debate for HB 1035 increasing taxes to a proposal already designed to eliminate dozens of valuable incentives for our state. This bill raises cost for an already crippled and struggling business community seeking to reopen and rehire hardworking Georgians. The addition of a tax increase supplements funding cuts for historic preservation in our downtowns and telecommunication expansion in rural Georgia. It takes away efforts to promote research and development of new technology; eliminates tools for economic development recruitment and expansion; limits local healthcare service; destroys low-income housing construction; and slows infrastructure projects.

Georgia businesses have just started to reopen after a government mandated lockdown, and we are now suffering in a recession with record unemployment. Our economic development community needs every tool possible to lead this recovery. The Georgia Chamber calls on state Senators to address the budget like the Republican administrations of Kemp, Deal and Perdue without raising taxes and focus, instead, on stimulating the economy and helping get Georgians back to work. Let us not punish those already suffering.