Kemp touts Georgia's economy before Cobb Chamber

Apr. 11—CUMBERLAND — Speaking to the Cobb Chamber of Commerce Tuesday, Gov. Brian Kemp touted the state's economy, pointing to its economic development successes, its low unemployment rate and its fiscally conservative budgeting.

State law requires Georgia to maintain a balanced budget. The state has a AAA credit rating, and went into this year's legislative session with a budget surplus of more than $6 billion from the 2022 budget year.

With all that extra cash, Kemp and the Republican-led state legislature passed measures to return funds to taxpayers, such as a $1 billion state income tax rebate and $950 million in property tax relief.

"With the policies that we're seeing coming out of Washington D.C. continuing to drive 40-year high inflation and high prices across the board, it was really my goal going into session to work with the General Assembly to help hard working Georgians and Georgia families be able to fight through that," Kemp said.

Speaking at the Coca-Cola Roxy, a stone's throw away from Truist Park, Kemp mentioned Monday night's Atlanta Braves game, when a 10th-inning, walk-off home run gave the team a win over the Cincinnati Reds.

"Just like the Braves, Georgia's economy continues to win as well," the governor said.

As evidence of those wins, he said the state has announced roughly 150,000 new jobs and $60 billion of new investment since he took office. Some 3,800 of those jobs and $337 million of that investment has been in Cobb County. And those numbers, he noted, only include projects where the state has been involved — not the organic economic growth that also occurs.

Former Cobb Chamber Chairman Rob Garcia said that during the pandemic, the governor "kept us safe, but did it in a way that kept our state open and thriving." In his successful reelection bid last year, a major theme of Kemp's campaign was his record of allowing Georgia businesses to reopen earlier than in other states.

Jay Cunningham, owner and president of Superior Plumbing, invoked Georgia's nine years straight of being named the best state to do business. That ranking comes from Area Development magazine, a publication focused on corporate site selection and relocation. In determining the ranking, the magazine considers factors such as tax rates, energy costs, availability of real estate, workforce development, regulatory environment, tax incentives and a competitive labor market.

"Imagine getting the Super Bowl one year and then getting it a second year ... The No. 1 state in which to do business is very similar. All the other states are trying to get what we have, and they still can't get it," Cunningham said.

In the face of signs that the U.S. might be heading for a recession, Kemp said the state is also preparing for a potential downturn.

"That is something I want you to know I take very seriously and I have for the last several years, and something that I've reminded the legislature that we need to continue to prepare for," he said.

Georgia, the governor said, has budgeted conservatively. It also has a "strong pipeline" of economic development projects that will guide it through a potential recession.

In addition to the state's economy, the governor also touted several items passed in this year's legislative session, such as:

— The Safe School Act, which will provide $50,000 school security grants to public schools;

— Teacher pay raises of $2,000;

— Fully funding the HOPE scholarship;

— Expanding access to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families benefits for pregnant women;

— Legislation to combat human trafficking;

— Minimum sentencing requirements to crack down on gang recruitment.

The governor steered clear of some of the session's more divisive issues, such as a law he signed that prevents Georgians under 18 from obtaining gender-affirming hormone replacement therapy or surgery, and a bill which would create an oversight board for Georgia's district attorneys and solicitors general.

He also did not mention a private school voucher bill he backed, which died in the state House after rural Republicans joined forces with Democrats to kill it, nor a package of mental health reform he supported, which failed to pass the Senate.

"As mentioned earlier, we've been named the No. 1 state for business for an unprecedented ninth year in a row," Kemp said toward the end of his roughly 16-minute speech. "And that just doesn't happen by accident. ... Our people in this state are so resilient. We saw that during COVID and a lot of other crazy things going on in this world over the last five years. But it's because of you that we are having this success, and I just want you to know that we're going to continue to be in the fight."