The Republican leaders of Georgia\u2019s Senate will push to reduce both income and property taxes while targeting other cost-of-living issues during a legislative session that will be influenced by election-year politics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Senate leaders gave a brief outline of their priorities at the Capitol Tuesday, the second day of their 40-day session.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Last week, a high-priority Senate study committee wrapped up its work, issuing a recommendation to eliminate the state income tax<\/a> by 2032, with gradual cuts starting in 2027. And on that same day, House Speaker Jon Burns, a Republican from Newington, announced his plans to pare back local property taxes<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On Tuesday, the Senate majority leader, Dallas Republican Jason Anavitarte, said his chamber\u2019s caucus \u201ccan and will do everything in our power\u201d to embrace both approaches to bring down costs for taxpayers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He also said Republican senators would target institutional investors who \u201cgobble up\u201d houses then resell them, driving up prices for regular homebuyers while \u201cWall Street billionaires\u201d profit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Senate will also consider ways to expedite building permits, he said. Developers criticized local building departments for causing expensive delays during a hearing<\/a> in November, but local officials said developers were filing sloppy plans that slowed the review process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Both the Senate and the House are also interested in improving literacy. Burns said last week that he wanted to see literacy coaches in every elementary school, and Anavitarte said Tuesday that the Senate wanted to provide resources to address the concern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n