Tillery to Chair Eliminating Income Tax Committee

Senator Blake Tillery (R-Vidalia) has been selected to chair the new Georgia Senate Committee on Eliminating Georgia’s Income Tax, which was announced by Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones on Thursday, July 17. This new committee was created by Jones to explore options to eliminate Georgia’s state income tax, and will begin studying and working on the concept later this summer before officially being abolished on December 15, 2025, pursuant to Senate Rules.

Jones spoke on the creation of the new committee. “Last year alone, nine states cut individual income taxes, and three others cut corporate income taxes,” he remarked. “In fact, among southeast states, only South Carolina currently has a higher income tax rate than Georgia. If we wish to remain the number one state for business and keep our state competitive, we must expand on the progress made over the past four continued from page

years to eliminate Georgia’s income tax. It is vital that the Senate lead the effort to continue reducing our reliance on income taxes by examining additional ways to make significant cuts to our income tax rate, while maintaining the fiscal soundness of our state. Eliminating the state income tax is a commitment I have made to the Georgia people, and the work of this committee is a vital step to ensure I deliver on this promise.”

Currently, eight states – Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming – do not have a state income tax and find other means of revenue, such as through property or sales taxes. The Committee will explore these possibilities and others to discover a way to fund the state without taxing Georgians’ income.

Senator Tillery, who also chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, will lead this new committee. “I am committed to lowering Georgia’s income tax rate to zero,” he emphasized. “It’s the right thing to do for Georgia families, and it’s the right thing to do for our state to remain competitive with our neighbors. Clearly, the Lieutenant Governor feels this way as well.”

He continued, “I have had ideas on how to do this for years, but the study committee allows us the opportunity to hear from the Lieutenant Governor’s ideas, ideas from my colleagues, and ideas from other Georgians with one goal in mind: the elimination of the state income tax.”

Other members of the committee are Senate Majority Leader Jason Anavitarte (R-Dallas), Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Greg Dolezal (R-Cumming), Senate State Institutions and Property Committee Chairman Ed Harbison (D-Columbus), Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Hufstetler (RRome), Senate President Pro Tempore Nominee Larry Walker (R-Perry), Senate Ethics Committee Chairman Sam Watson (RMoultrie), Senator Steve Gooch (R-Dahlonega), Senator John Kennedy (RMacon), Senator Nan Orrock (D-Atlanta), and Senator Michael “Doc” Rhett (D-Marietta).