Nathan Deal claims Jason Carter is going after taxpayer 'pocketbooks'
Augusta - Gov. Nathan Deal took aim at Democrat Jason Carter's pledge to significantly increase funding for education, saying his plan to restore austerity cuts to classrooms will inevitably lead to higher taxes.
The attack came at a small Augusta tire shop where Deal received the endorsement of the Georgia chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business. The conservative group is one of the most outspoken opponents of the federal healthcare overhaul, and its support of Deal comes as little surprise.
Carter, an Atlanta state senator, has put boosting education funding at the center of his campaign, and said he would fund the increases partly by cutting waste and more vigorously pursuing tax cheats. Deal cast it as a flimsy accounting.
"You cannot spend a billion dollars in any government unless you look to the place where you get the money from - that is the taxpayers," the governor said. "I do not support tax increases and I think anyone who promises they'll put more money into anything has to explain where they will get the money from. And in most instances, that means the pocketbooks of small businesses."
It comes as Deal and Carter clash over economic policy in the aftermath of a federal report that found Georgia's jobless rate is the second-highest in the nation. Carter, who has pledged not to raise taxes, claims it's because the governor has embraced a "grab bag" of economic policies and a failure to better fund education, while Deal says the state's fiscal health is much rosier.
In short, both sides are interpreting the numbers through their own prisms.
Carter spokesman Bryan Thomas said Deal's comments were a sign that the governor is seeking "looking for excuses" and that the Democrat has never voted for a tax increase during his four years in the state Senate. He said Deal's remarks were an admission that the governor won't seek to reverse the austerity cuts if he is given a second term.
"Gov. Deal has now admitted he has no intention of undoing his devastating cuts to our schools. He is resorting to scare tactics because he knows he can’t run on his own record," said Thomas. "Sen. Carter is committed to rolling back Gov. Deal’s cuts to our schools. He’ll do it by cutting government waste, growing the economy and cracking down on tax cheats."
At the event, Deal pushed back against Carter's "grab bag" argument by citing a soon-to-be expanded program that grants free tech school tuition to students in high-needs programs. It's widely expected that the expansion would include students in film programs, though Deal wouldn't confirm.
"What is that? Is that a grab bag? No." he said of the program. "It's a realistic approach to job creation. If there are jobs available in your state and you don't have people qualified, it's the government's role to make sure they are qualified and that they're trained. And it's a pattern that's worked and will continue to work."
He added: "We have put some great programs in place and I want to be there to see that they're put in place as they're intended to be."
About the Author
Greg Bluestein is the Atlanta Journal Constitution's chief political reporter. He is also an author, TV analyst and co-host of the Politically Georgia podcast.
