Gov. Kemp highlights tax breaks in amended Georgia budget

brian kemp
Governor Brian Kemp announces the signing of the Amended Fiscal Year 2023 budget on March 13, 2023. (Rahul Bali/WABE)

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said Monday that he has delivered on campaign promises of tax breaks by signing an amended budget.

The Republican said he signed House Bill 18 on Friday, boosting spending by $2.4 billion through the June 30 end of the budget year. That includes nearly $1 billion for a property tax break and also diverts nearly $1.1 billion in state revenue to the state Department of Transportation to make up for uncollected fuel taxes while gas and diesel taxes were suspended.

The state Senate is scheduled to debate a separate Kemp-backed bill Tuesday that would issue another $1 billion of state income tax refunds for a second year. Senators will also consider separate legislation ratifying Kemp’s extension of the fuel tax break.