‘Affordability’ is the political buzzword of 2026
If “affordability” were a drinking game — down a shot every time someone in the General Assembly uses the word — you’d probably wind up in the hospital on the first day of the upcoming legislative session.
The “A-word” became a political battle cry in 2025 as Democrats wielded it to bludgeon Republicans with electoral victories in Georgia and across the country. Now it’s poised to become even more ubiquitous in an election year with control of Congress, key state legislative seats and Georgia’s top statewide offices up for grabs.
But affordability means different things to different people, and the political parties are offering distinct solutions to voters’ financial worries as the General Assembly convenes in Atlanta on Jan. 12. The Republicans who control state government believe income tax or property tax cuts will address voters’ pocketbook concerns.
“Whether it be property or income tax relief, Republicans believe helping Georgians keep more of their own money makes everything more affordable,” said Rep. Shaw Blackmon, R-Bonaire, chair of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee.
Democrats want more targeted tax cuts, such property tax relief for seniors or income tax cuts for teachers, and more state spending to ease families’ financial burden.
“What we can do is actually change some of the higher-cost items that we have, like housing and health care,” said Senate Minority Leader Harold Jones II, D-Augusta.
Whatever “affordability” means to you, you’re likely to hear a lot about it this year on the campaign trail and under the Gold Dome.
A political landmine
Rising prices have wreaked havoc with political fortunes in recent years.
High inflation soured the public on President Joe Biden’s policies, and President Donald Trump won reelection promising to quickly bring prices down. But high inflation has lingered and consumer sentiments have now turned against Trump’s handling of the economy. Democrats see a chance to retake at least one chamber of Congress in 2026.
In Georgia, voters elected two Democrats to replace Republican incumbents on the state Public Service Commission amid concerns of skyrocketing power bills. And Democrats running on affordability issues made a strong showing in recent legislative special elections, including an stunning victory in an Athens-area district drawn to ensure a Republican victory.
Georgia political leaders have gotten the message.
In July, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, a Republican candidate for governor, launched a state Senate study committee on eliminating the Georgia income tax. Though it has not yet said exactly how it plans to do that — residents in most states without income taxes pay higher sales taxes — Jones is running on the promise to fulfill the pledge.
He’s not alone. Sen. Blake Tillery, R-Vidalia, who chaired the committee, is running for lieutenant governor.
“Some folks think the answer is to create another government program. I think we’re notoriously inefficient at government programs,” Tillery said. “That’s why I think it’s a better option for us to figure out a way to give people back the money they made to begin with.”
Republicans have been eager to reduce income tax rates in recent years. But there is not universal support, even among Republicans, for eliminating the state’s largest source of income.
In the House, Speaker Jon Burns has made property tax relief a priority, though he has not announced a specific plan. A recent Atlanta Journal-Constitution survey found majorities of Democrats and Republicans would prefer local property tax relief to eliminating the income tax.
Jones’ rivals for the Republican gubernatorial nomination also are talking tax cuts. Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has proposed capping property tax increases to the rate of inflation, while Attorney General Chris Carr wants to cap property taxes and reduce the income tax rate.
Housing and health care costs
Democrats have rejected Jones’ call to eliminate the income tax. They say it would blow a gigantic hole in the state budget and require big sales tax increases, which would shift more taxes onto poor and middle-income Georgians.
“I don’t think there’s any way around it,” Jones said. “That’s going to create a tax hike for people.”
But Democratic candidates for governor are not averse to more targeted tax breaks.
Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms wants to cut income taxes for public schoolteachers. Former state Sen. Jason Esteves favors property tax relief for seniors. And former Republican Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, now a Democrat, wants to use some of Georgia’s $14.6 billion budget reserves to help Georgians start a business, pay for child care, buy a home or get job training.
In the Legislature, Democrats have also embraced measures to increase tenant protections and to cap corporate ownership of single-family housing. They want funding to support first-time homebuyers with down payment assistance. And they want to expand Medicaid and establish state subsidies for health insurance.
“While we can’t fix the affordability crisis overnight, there are a few measures we can do to make it easier for the families who are counting on us,” said Rep. David Wilkerson, D-Powder Springs.
With Republicans controlling the General Assembly and the Governor’s Mansion, Democrats have little chance of enacting their policies this year without buy-in from across the aisle. But having seen the benefits of addressing “affordability” — and the extent of voter discontent with the status quo — both parties are speaking the same language.
Get your shot glasses ready.
About the Author
David Wickert writes about the state budget, finance and voting issues. Previously, he covered local government and politics in Gwinnett and Fulton counties. Before moving to Atlanta, he worked at newspapers in Illinois, Tennessee, Virginia and Washington.
