Georgians to Receive Income Tax Refunds Thanks to President Biden’s American Rescue Plan, Despite Brian Kemp and Republicans’ Opposition

Thanks to President Biden and Democrats’ American Rescue Plan, Georgians who filed tax returns in 2020 and 2021 will be receiving refunds, despite Republicans unanimously opposing the federal relief package that made these refunds possible.  

After criticizing the American Rescue Plan, Brian Kemp and Republicans are now hypocritically trying to take credit for the budget surplus fueled by the ARP and the initiatives it has made possible, like tax refunds, teacher pay raises, and bonuses for first responders. Every single Georgia Republican opposed the federal relief package, and Brian Kemp called it a “slap in the face to hardworking Georgians.”

“Brian Kemp should be thanking President Biden and Democrats in Congress for Georgia’s budget surplus, which made these tax refunds possible — but what can we expect from a typical politician? After calling the American Rescue Plan a ‘slap in the face for hardworking Georgians,’ Kemp is hypocritically trying to take credit, spending state tax dollars fueled by federal funds on initiatives he thinks will help his chances of re-election as he faces increasingly vicious attacks from Donald Trump. ​​Georgia Democrats are going to make sure every voter knows that while Republicans voted against this boost to Georgia families, President Biden and Democrats delivered,” stated Max Flugrath, spokesman for the Democratic Party of Georgia.

Background: Before the American Rescue Plan was passed, Kemp said his state “would be the worst-hit” under the plan and urged Georgia’s two U.S. Senators to vote against the bill. Kemp is using Georgia’s budget surplus — fueled by increased tax collections thanks to federal COVID-19 relief — “to put cash in the hands of as many voters as possible, as quickly as possible, as he tries to get reelected this year.”

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