ATLANTA – Any talk of reinstating the sales tax on groceries is “a nonstarter” as talks about tax reform are set to resume in the upcoming General Assembly, Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle said Tuesday.
Cagle told The Associated Press that any serious conversations involving tax reform should focus on a continued effort to streamline government, not to increase taxes.
“Putting the sales tax back on groceries is a nonstarter for me,” Cagle said. “What I’ve tried to do is downsize state government, make it more efficient, talk about budgetary reforms and try to operate on less revenue. What most people have been attempting to do is fill holes in the budget with revenue enhancements. That’s not something that I’m interested in.”
Tax reform was set to be a key part of the Republican agenda during last year’s legislative session, but the issue stalled amid confusion over the actual fiscal impact on residents – including concerns raised by Democrats and tea party activists that the proposed changes would hurt a large number of middle-class Georgians.
Lawmakers return to the state Capitol on Monday. In addition to tax reform, they will wrestle with balancing the budget, taxes and criminal justice reform. Cagle said there also will be a focus on job creation, making Georgia a more competitive, business-friendly environment.