Lisa Rayam
,
Lily Oppenheimer
| WABE
January 14th, 2026
The latest Consumer Price Index report shows that in December, grocery prices had their biggest spike since 2022, and the overall food index (which includes groceries and dining out) increased 3.1% over the last year.
The price for items like meats, poultry, produce, coffee and eggs surged. Those higher prices come as ordinary Georgians are now at the mercy of what Democrats and Republicans are able to pass during this year’s legislative session.
Affordability has been designated a legislative priority by both parties. How will Democrats and Republicans plan to make things more affordable, and not simply treat it as a buzzword?
Tammy Greer is an assistant professor and director of social entrepreneurship for Georgia State’s Department of Public Management and Policy. Greer indicates that the definition seems to vary, and could mean different things to different people.
“When we consider some of the conversations that some folks running for office are having, they’re having very surface-level conversations about what affordability is, and how to address it,” Greer tells WABE’s “Morning Edition.”
She sat down recently with WABE to speak about how this kitchen table issue is becoming a battle cry for all constituents.
“I would like for them to consider that, for example, one of the items is to revisit how property taxes are done. Whether to eliminate property taxes, or whether to redo the formula for property taxes,” Greer tells WABE.
“The challenge here is that, when we look at development, a lot we’ve seen over the last decade has been those of apartments, where people are renting. So property taxes, unless the landlord or developer is reducing or taking away the property taxes from the amount of money that folks are renting, then renters are not going to get the relief.”
Constituents in Columbus, Georgia, blue collar workers who are often struggling from paycheck to paycheck, recently showed up to a rap session with Democratic state Rep. Carolyn Hugley.
The chat was part of the #Listen2Workers campaign launched by Devon Gray, president of the End Poverty in California advocacy group, or EPIC. It’s designed to bring the voices of working-class people to the forefront of where policy is made.
Gray took some time to sit down with WABE’s “Morning Edition” as he travels the country creating spaces for local lawmakers like Hugley to connect with voters and hear concerns related to affordability and the economy.
