Donald Trump signs law targeting Veterans Affairs.
Charlie Bailey takes a tour of Georgia’s reddest counties.
Tax talk
Some Georgia lawmakers want to eliminate the state's income tax.
Credit: AJC file photo
The Republican-controlled Georgia Senate is poised this week to take the first step in the long-running push to eliminate the state income tax. And Lt. Gov. Burt Jones will be at the center of the debate.
Jones, a GOP candidate for governor, is set to headline Tuesday’s meeting of a special Senate committee exploring ways to phase out the levy, which now stands at 5.19% and is set to drop to 4.99% by 2027. He has said getting rid of the tax is vital to making Georgia more competitive with other states, such as Florida and Tennessee, which don’t have income taxes.
The panel is expected to explore how to offset lost revenue, including eliminating popular tax breaks and economic development incentives. Few states, however, have been able to gut income taxes deeply without offsetting them with other revenues such as higher sales taxes or new fees.
Critics warn it could jeopardize billions of dollars in funding for health care, education and infrastructure, shifting more of the tax burden onto poorer households. But the idea has earned growing support from some rank-and-file Republicans, who point to other southern states with lower tax rates.
Here’s how Jones’ rivals line up:
Attorney General Chris Carr. Jones’ top GOP opponent for governor said he wants to ensure Georgia has the lowest tax burden of any Southeastern state, but that means a broader focus on other taxes, fees and regulations that are “burdening businesses.”
Democratic State Sen. Jason Esteves, D-Atlanta. He isn’t ruling it out, saying he’s open to any proposal “that will keep more money in Georgians’ wallets while lowering housing costs, expanding health care access and investing in public education.” But he said his concern “will always be giving much-needed tax relief to working families in our state — not giving handouts to billionaires and millionaires like Burt Jones.”
Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. She has called for ending income taxes for public school teachers. But Bottoms called Jones’ plan to eliminate the tax for everyone a “risky election-year gimmick that would harm our state” with the potential to slash school funding, increase fees and hike costs and sales taxes for working families. “Georgians deserve real solutions on affordability, not budget-busting gimmicks,” she said.
Former DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond. He stopped short of giving a verdict on Jones’ tax plan, instead pledging to “fight for fair tax policies” that protect seniors, veterans and working families.
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Under a revised ordinance recently passed by the Savannah City Council, horse-drawn carriage operators must cease activities when temperatures reach 85 degrees.
Here are three additional things to know for today:
Insurance Commissioner John King fined 22 companies a collective $20 million after finding more than 6,000 violations, including some that inconsistently applied benefits, the AJC’s Michelle Baruchman and Ariel Hart report.
A judge ordered the Fulton County Board of Commissioners to appoint two Republican critics to its election board, the AJC’s Caleb Groves reports.
The Savannah City Council voted to ban horse-drawn carriage tours when temperatures reach 85 degrees — a plan Mayor Van Johnson has threatened to veto, the AJC’s Adam Van Brimmer reports.
Stayed tuned
Vice President JD Vance spoke at a plant in Ohio last month.
Credit: Lauren Leigh Bacho/AP
We haven’t heard the details yet, but several state GOP leaders say Vice President JD Vance is set to visit Atlanta at the end of the week.
Vance was last in Atlanta in May for a fundraiser benefiting the Republican National Committee, which is holding a major meeting in Atlanta this week.
The meetings kick off tomorrow, and most of them will be behind closed doors. The general session begins Friday at the Westin Peachtree Plaza. That’s when Republicans will elect a new chair to replace Michael Whatley, who is stepping down to run for a U.S. Senate seat in North Carolina being vacated by retiring Sen. Thom Tillis.
The election won’t have drama. Florida state Sen. Joe Gruters is running unopposed, and he’s got the endorsement of President Donald Trump. Gruters is also the RNC’s treasurer, so Republicans will also have to elect someone to replace him.
And they’re off
Incumbent Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul (left) is facing a challenge from Jody Reichel (right) and two other candidates.
Credit: AJC/Courtesy photo
It’s qualifying week, the period when candidates can officially file their paperwork to get on the ballot for the local government elections in November.
Local governments have some discretion about when they can start. For example, Atlanta’s qualifying period begins tomorrow.
Here’s a look at some of the races we’ll be watching:
Sandy Springs mayor: The city north of Atlanta has only had two mayors in its two decades of existence. Incumbent Rusty Paul will face a major challenge this year from council members Andy Bauman and Jody Reichel. Dontaye Carter, who lost to Paul in 2021, is also running. And so is Alex Somer, a Sandy Springs resident.
Atlanta City Council President: Council member Marci Collier Overstreet is running to succeed Doug Shipman, who isn’t seeking reelection. She’s got experience, having served two terms on the council, plus the backing of Mayor Andre Dickens. Rohit Malhotra, founder of the Civic Center for Innovation, is running on a platform to raise household incomes and invest in small business.
Atlanta City Council: Most of the action will be for the three open seats: District 7 in conservative-leaning Buckhead, District 2 covering Midtown, and District 11 in southwest Atlanta, which the AJC’s Riley Bunch notes is home turf for many of the city’s former mayors. But The most interesting news could be who isn’t running. Alex Wan in District 6 and at-large council member Matt Westmoreland haven’t drawn challengers yet despite angering some activists for their votes to approve the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center.
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Keeping tabs
Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins participated in a "Politically Georgia" podcast event in Washington earlier this year.
Credit: Nathan Posner for the AJC
Congress will be keeping a closer eye on Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins.
The former Georgia congressman is now required to provide quarterly briefings on budget shortfalls at his agency after President Donald Trump signed the “Protecting Regular Order for Veterans Act of 2025” into law last week.
The law stems in part from an incident last year during former President Joe Biden’s administration when the Department of Veterans Affairs said it faced a shortfall. Congress voted to give the agency nearly $3 billion — money the VA’s inspector general later said was not needed.
During a debate on the House floor last month, U.S. Rep. Mike Bost, R-Illinois, made it clear the Republicans in charge of Congress don’t see this law as an indictment of Collins’ leadership.
“This bill is a straightforward, commonsense effort that partners with Secretary Collins and the Trump administration to establish greater accountability and oversight,” he said.
The bill also places limits on incentives the agency can offer certain VA senior executives. Some had received bonuses of as much as $100,000 in the past, Bost said.
U.S. Rep. Mark Takano, D-California, agreed the bonuses were a “misstep,” but said they had been corrected in the prior administration. He criticized Collins for his handling of the VA, including recent layoffs and a general exodus of employees. But Democrats didn’t put up much of a fight against the law.
“More information is always better,” he said.
Trump country
Charlie Bailey is chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia.
Credit: Daniel Varnado for the AJC
Charlie Bailey, the new chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia, is traveling to some of the state’s reddest counties to make the case that Democrats want to compete everywhere.
During Bailey’s trip to the Georgia coast last week, he made stops in several counties: Brantley, which voted 91% for Trump in 2024, Camden (67.5% Trump), Charlton (77.9% Trump), Glynn (63% Trump), McIntosh (64% Trump) and Ware (71.4% Trump).
Bailey may have felt right at home in the Republican strongholds since he hails from Harris County, which Trump won with 73% of the vote.
Listen up
Today on the “Politically Georgia”podcast we’re opening the listener mailbag to talk about federal climate grants, the impact of the shooting at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, the latest developments in the race for governor, and more.
You can listen and subscribe to Politically Georgia for free at Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
Have a question or comment for the show? Email us at politicallygeorgia@ajc.com or give us a call at 770-810-5297 and you could be featured on a future episode.
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Trump Today
President Donald Trump will meet at the White House with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as well as European and NATO leaders.
Birthday fundraiser
U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams, D-Atlanta, recently celebrated her birthday.
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams’ birthday was July 30 and she celebrated Saturday night with a party hosted by famed attorney Ben Crump that doubled as a campaign fundraiser.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, former Mayor Kasim Reed, Pastor Jamal Bryant and singer Tyrese Gibson were listed as co-hosts.
“Join us as we honor her powerful leadership and commitment to the people!” Crump wrote in a post on X.
Shoutouts
State Sen. John Albers, R-Roswell, first took office in 2011.
Credit: Ben Hendren for the AJC
Today’s birthdays:
Former state Rep. Teri Anulewicz.
State Sen. John Albers, R-Roswell.
Belated birthdays:
State Rep. Lydia Glaize, D-Fairburn (was Sunday).
JT Wu, chair of the Gwinnett County Public Library (was Saturday).
Want a birthday shoutout in the Politically Georgia newsletter? There’s a form for that. Click here to submit the shoutouts. It’s not just birthdays. We’re also interested in new jobs, engagements, birth announcements, etc.
Before you go
Conservative activist Laura Loomer has the ear of the Trump administration.
Credit: Chris Szagola/AP
The Trump administration has halted all visitor visas for people from Gaza after conservative activist Laura Loomer posted videos on social media of children arriving in the U.S. for medical treatment.
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