Sen. Ben Watson

Columnist

As chairman of the Senate Appropriations Health subcommittee, my committee reviews and has direct input on over 20 percent of the total state budget. I take this role seriously on behalf of the people of Georgia and spend a large amount of my personal time helping ensure our budget continues to move in the right direction. 

This week was budget week under the Gold Dome, and the General Assembly was hard at work planning to deliver another fiscally conservative, balanced budget for the people of Georgia. We heard Governor Kemp’s budget initiatives in his State of the State address to the legislature last week, and this week department heads and agencies began briefing the appropriators from the House and Senate in joint Appropriations Committee hearings.

With conservative management of the state’s budget, we’ve had two years without bonding projects and instead have paid for projects in cash in order to save on the cost of interest on bonds. This effort means less future debt and saving millions of dollars for future generations.

In fact, our debt-to-revenue ratio is at its lowest since inception 50 years ago.

Members of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees heard testimony from each state agency head about the successes and challenges they face within their departments. That testimony made clear that Georgia’s leaders have made the strategic investments we need to keep our state strong, resilient, and prosperous, all while saving taxpayers billions of dollars. The General Assembly is now reviewing the proposed $38.5 billion spending plan for the upcoming 2026-27 fiscal year. As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I am working to ensure our state continues to prioritize affordability by accelerating planned income tax cuts down to 4.99 percent and returning another $1 billion in surplus revenue to taxpayers through direct rebatesThis will be the third year that we’ve accelerated the reduction of the state income tax and are three years ahead of schedule on our plan of lowering and eventually eliminating that tax. We have reduced the income tax from 6 percent and dropped it to 4.99 percent beginning in 2026. We will have saved taxpayers $3.8 billion, and since 2021 have saved taxpayers $9.7 billion via tax rebate, tax rate reduction, and gas tax suspension.

We were briefed by the Department of Transportation (GDOT) on the expansion of I-95 and I-16 interstates. GDOT also gave us an update on the construction of a fourth lane on I-95 from South Carolina to Richmond Hill, as well as adding a third lane for I-16 from I-95 to Statesboro. Stressing safety and congestion, GDOT is adding truck lanes that will be added along I-75 to and from Atlanta.

I will keep you updated on legislation affecting our community as we progress through the session. Thank you for your continued interest in the work of our General Assembly. As your public servant, feel free to visit me at the Capitol or to reach out to me by phone or email. I am in 325A, Coverdell Legislative Office Building. My office phone number is (404) 656-7880, and my email is ben.watson@senate. ga.gov.

I look forward to continuing to serve you..