Lowering Costs & Boosting the Local Economy

Building an Economy That Works for Us

South Georgia families are feeling the squeeze. From the grocery store to the gas pump, the cost of living has skyrocketed, and wages haven’t kept up. While Atlanta experiences massive corporate growth and investment, rural counties are too often left behind to deal with rising property taxes and crumbling infrastructure.

Micah King believes that economic policy should focus on Main Street, not Wall Street. We need to build a local economy that rewards hard work, supports small businesses, and allows our young people to find good-paying jobs right here at home.

Meaningful Tax Relief for Families

When the state has a massive budget surplus, that money belongs to the taxpayers. But instead of permanent, meaningful relief, politicians in Atlanta often hand out corporate tax breaks to massive out-of-state companies.

Micah’s Plan for Tax Relief:

• Lowering Property Taxes: Property taxes are pricing families out of their own homes. Micah will push for expanding homestead exemptions and capping aggressive property tax hikes, ensuring that local families and seniors on fixed incomes can afford to stay in their homes.
• Eliminating the State Grocery Tax: We need to completely eliminate the state tax on groceries. When families are struggling to afford basic necessities, the state government shouldn’t be taking a cut at the checkout line.

Supporting Small Businesses

Small businesses are the economic engine of Tattnall, Evans, Appling, and Jeff Davis counties. They provide the jobs, sponsor the little league teams, and keep our downtowns vibrant.

But dealing with state bureaucracy and red tape makes it incredibly difficult for entrepreneurs to get off the ground. Micah will work to simplify the business licensing process and reduce fees for small and veteran-owned businesses. If a massive corporation can get a tax break to move to Atlanta, a local entrepreneur opening a shop in Glennville or Baxley deserves support too.

Investing in Rural Infrastructure

You can’t have a 21st-century economy with 20th-century infrastructure.

• Broadband Expansion: Reliable, high-speed internet is no longer a luxury; it is a necessity for education, agriculture, and business. Micah will fight to aggressively expand rural broadband infrastructure so our students can do their homework and our local businesses can compete globally.
• Roads and Bridges: We need our fair share of the state transportation budget. Micah will fiercely advocate for funding to pave dirt roads, repair aging bridges, and improve the infrastructure necessary to get our agricultural products to market safely and efficiently.

Good-Paying Local Jobs

We shouldn’t have to watch our brightest young people leave for Atlanta or Savannah just to find a decent job. Micah will support robust funding for local technical colleges and vocational training programs. By partnering with local industries, we can ensure that our students graduate with the skills they need to step immediately into high-paying, secure jobs right here in District 157.