Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections for May 13, 2025

On May 13, 1607, English settlers founded the first permanent English settlement in America, at Jamestown on the James River. This led to the first English-language politics in America:

Dispatched from England by the London Company, the colonists had sailed across the Atlantic aboard the Susan Constant,Godspeed, and Discovery. Upon landing at Jamestown, the first colonial council was held by seven settlers whose names had been chosen and placed in a sealed box by King James I. The council, which included Captain John Smith, an English adventurer, chose Edward Wingfield as its first president.

Lyman Hall arrived in Philadelphia as a delegate to the Second Continental Congress on May 13, 1775.

On May 13, 1798, a Constitutional Convention adopted the Georgia Constitution of 1798.

The United States declared war on Mexico on May 13, 1846.

Georgia Whigs, led by Governor George Crawford, Alexander Stephens, and Robert Toombs, criticized the war for raising divisive questions about slavery in the territories. Georgia Democrats, led by Howell Cobb and Herschel Johnson, staunchly supported the war and states’ rights afterward. Because Whigs, nationally, appeared to be antislavery, Georgia Whigs lost the governorship in 1847. The Compromise of 1850 temporarily settled the slavery question in the territories, but the moderating influence of Georgia’s Whigs dissolved in the heated rhetoric of states’ rights in the 1850s. The next war would find Americans fighting Americans.

The first fighting at Resaca, Georgia took place on May 13, 1864 and Union forces marched into Dalton. On May 13, 1864, 257 cadets from the Virginia Military Institute camped at Mt. Crawford near Harrisonburg.The next day they would continue their march to New Market, Virginia.

On May 13, 1981, Pope John Paul II was shot at St. Peter’s Square in Rome.

On May 13, 2005, the Pentagon Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) recommended the closing of Fort McPherson in Atlanta, Fort Gillem in Forest Park, the Naval Air Station in Marietta, and the Naval Supply Corps School in Athens.

Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections

Governor Brian Kemp met with President Donald Trump in Washington, according to the AJC.

Gov. Brian Kemp and President Donald Trump met quietly Saturday in Washington to discuss unifying behind a Republican Senate candidate in Georgia, according to four people with knowledge of the discussions who were not authorized to speak publicly about the meeting.

It was not immediately clear if the two reached an agreement over backing the same contender in the wide-open race against Democratic incumbent Jon Ossoff, but one person described the meeting as productive.

Kemp told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution last week he anticipated a conversation with Trump in hopes of combining forces behind a candidate, though he cautioned that coming to a consensus is “hard to do in primaries.”

Lake Park City Council voted against removing Mayor Jena Sandlin from office, according to the Valdosta Daily Times.

The controversy stemmed from an incident on April 29 in which the mayor directed maintenance personnel to use a fire department tanker truck without the fire chief’s approval. The vehicle, designed for emergency response, was used to water plants in the city’s highway median.

The fire chief said he had informed the mayor earlier that no certified personnel were available to operate the truck and explicitly denied its use. Despite this, the truck was removed and driven by a city maintenance employee who was neither certified nor covered under the fire department’s insurance.

Councilmember Carl Spano read a document to the board and attendees highlighting several violations and safety concerns. This included the failure to notify 911 dispatch that the vehicle was out of service, leaving the firehouse unsecured, exposing the city to liability in the event of an accident, and allowing unauthorized use of a high-pressure water system and vehicle.

Spano continued on to showcase what he says is “executive overreach” due to the mayor acting outside of the duties outlined in the city charter. These duties include voting on a stalemated vote in the city council, being the official head of the city in ceremonial process, and administering oaths and affidavits. Spano stated that the mayor did not have the power to step over the fire chief’s position and commandeer the fire truck.

“The actions taken by Mayor Sandlin have demonstrated a willingness to jeopardize the safety and security of the city employees, citizens of the city, and citizens of the surrounding area by intentionally misappropriating the fire department tanker to water plants, which could have easily waited until an alternate solution had been provided,” stated Spano.

The council was confused about whether, if they voted, it would go to a public hearing and then a final impeaching vote, or if this vote was a one-and-done vote to dismiss the mayor from office. This confusion would work in favor of Mayor Sandlin, as Councilman Busby Courson did not want to remove Sandlin without a public hearing.

Councilman Oscar Griffith, who spearheaded the effort to ask the mayor to resign after a previous controversy involving a waived speeding ticket, reaffirmed his position and supported Spano’s motion to start the impeachment process. He and Spano voted in favor of the motion. However, Councilwoman Michelle Lane opposed it, and Councilman Courson, considered the swing vote, declined to support the move, causing the motion to fall short of the required two-thirds majority.

Upson County Probate Judge Danielle McRae has resigned, according to the AJC.

Danielle McRae resigned late Friday as Upson County’s probate judge, a role she’d held since 2012. McRae was under investigation by the Georgia Judicial Qualifications Commission and is now the subject of a GBI probe.

JQC Director Courtney Veal said Monday that McRae resigned as a result of its investigation.

The commission ended its case Monday with McRae’s written promise that she won’t seek a judicial role in the future, according to case filings.

A GBI spokesperson said the agency was asked on Friday to investigate McRae and that “agents intend to proceed with an investigation.”

Kevin Holder, the council’s executive director, said he received a text message Monday from McRae addressing her resignation. Holder said the text message, which he shared with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, was sent to a group chat that included him and other probate judges.

“Bottom line is, I have violated a couple of cannons. No matter what I do at this point, I’m f—ed,” the message says. “I have no choice but to resign.”

The message says some of the JQC allegations are “vehemently” denied, while others can’t be denied. It says signed sentence agreements show “the appearance of impropriety.”

“That’s all it takes,” the message says. “Whether it was done intentionally or not doesn’t matter.”

Gov. Brian Kemp accepted McRae’s resignation effective immediately, according to a letter shared by his office.

A JQC report published late Monday said McRae was accused in part of voiding payments made to the court on traffic citations and using her county-issued purchasing card to pay for a personal trip and lodging. She also failed to tell investigators the truth, according to the report.

Holder said McRae was also accused of having improper communications with an attorney about court cases and being chronically absent. He said Upson County’s associate probate judge will take over McRae’s role until a special election is held.

Governor Brian Kemp’s Office released April 2025 state revenue numbers.

The State of Georgia’s net tax collections in April approached $3.73 billion, for a decrease of $230.4 million, or 5.8%, compared to FY 2024, when net tax collections totaled $3.96 billion for the month. April 2025 individual and corporate income tax collections were impacted by the hurricane-related extension of filing and payment deadlines to May 1, 2025. Early May individual and corporate return payments have significantly exceeded those received during the same period in May 2024, indicating a large number of filers took advantage of the extended filing deadline. Year-to-date, net tax revenue totaled $27.77 billion for an increase of $312.2 million that was driven largely by the collection of the state’s motor fuel excise tax, which was suspended by Executive Order for a period of two and a half months during FY 2024. Adjusting for the year-over-year motor fuel tax changes, year-to-date net tax revenue collections for the period ending April 30 were down $154.2 million, or 0.6%.

The changes within the following tax categories help to further explain April’s overall net tax revenue decrease:

Individual Income Tax:  Individual Income Tax collections totaled $1.91 billion, for a decrease of $55.9 million, or 2.8%, compared to last year when Individual Tax collections totaled nearly $1.97 billion.

The following notable components within Individual Income Tax combined for the net decrease:

Individual Income Tax refunds issued (net of voided checks) were down $115.1 million or 14.1%.
Individual Withholding payments were down $35.9 million, or 2.7%, from the previous fiscal year.
Individual Income Tax Return payments declined by $102.3 million, or 9.4%, from FY 2024.
All other Individual Tax categories, including Estimated payments, were down a combined $32.8 million.
Sales and Use Tax:  Gross Sales and Use Tax collections totaled almost $1.65 billion in April, for an increase of $70.4 million, or 4.5%, compared to April 2024.  Net Sales and Use Tax increased by $40.5 million, or 5.1%, compared to last year, when net sales tax totaled $798.8 million.  The adjusted Sales Tax distribution to local governments totaled $798.8 million, for an increase of $33.8 million, or 4.4%, while Sales Tax refunds decreased by $3.9 million, or 25.7%, compared to FY 2024.

Corporate Income Tax:  Corporate Income Tax collections for the month totaled $540.2 million, which was a decrease of roughly $207.9 million, or 27.8%, compared to FY 2024.

The following notable components within Corporate Income Tax make up the net decrease:

Corporate Income Tax refunds issued (net of voids) were down $5.2 million, or 13.9%, from FY 2024.
Corporate Income Tax Return payments decreased by $84.5 million, or 29.2%, from last fiscal year.
Corporate Income Tax Estimated payments decreased by $112.1 million, or 30.8%, from April 2024.
All other Corporate Tax types, including S-Corporate payments, were down a combined $16.5 million.
Motor Fuel Taxes:  Motor Fuel Tax collections increased by $6.6 million, or 3.4%, compared to FY 2024.

Motor Vehicle – Tag & Title Fees:  Motor Vehicle Tag & Title Fees increased by $2.8 million, or 7.4%, for the month, while Title Ad Valorem Tax (TAVT) collections increased by $3.4 million, or 4.7%, over last year.

Yesterday, Governor Kemp signed legislation aimed at improving Georgia’s workforce development pipeline, according to a Press Release.

Governor Brian P. Kemp, joined by Speaker Jon Burns and members of the Georgia General Assembly, today signed four important pieces of legislation into law that build on his administration’s commitment to strengthening Georgia’s workforce, expanding opportunity, and supporting hardworking students and families across the state.

The bills signed today include HB 192, HB 38, HB 172, and SB 85. Together, they represent targeted investments in Georgia’s talent pipeline and critical updates to the tools and programs already helping Georgians succeed.

“We’re proud Georgia has been recognized as the No. 1 state for business for an unprecedented 11 consecutive years,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “To build on that success, I announced at last year’s Workforce Summit that we would make Georgia not only the best state for business, but the Top State for Talent! Today, I am proud to sign the Top State for Talent Act, further aligning our education pipeline with the knowledge and skills that job creators are looking for.”

Top State for Talent Act (HB 192)
Sponsored by Representative Matthew Gambill and carried in the Senate by Senator Drew Echols, HB 192 codifies the Georgia MATCH program and reflects the work of the Governor’s Workforce Strategy Team in state law.

College Completion Grant Extension (HB 38)
Sponsored by Representative Chuck Martin and carried in the Senate by Senator Max Burns, HB 38 extends the sunset for the college completion grant program through 2029. The bill also lowers degree completion thresholds, increasing eligibility for students in both the University System of Georgia (USG) and Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG). These updates ensure more students can finish their degrees and enter the workforce job-ready.

Rural Veterinary Loan Program Update (HB 172)
Sponsored by Representative David Huddleston and carried in the Senate by Senator Matt Brass, HB 172 increases the loan purchase amount for veterinarians practicing food animal specialties in a rural part of the state from $80,000 over four years to $90,000 over three years.

Georgia Foster Care Scholarship Program (SB 85)
Sponsored by Senator Matt Brass and carried in the House by Representative Trey Kelley, SB 85 establishes the Georgia Foster Care Scholarship Program, which will provide up to $30,000 per year for eligible foster and former foster youth pursuing postsecondary education after all other federal or state grants, scholarships, or tuition waivers are applied.

Governor Kemp expressed his gratitude to the bill sponsors and stakeholders who helped make these policies a reality, including:

HB 192: Rep. Matthew Gambill, Sen. Drew Echols, Rep. Chris Erwin, Sen. Max Burns, and members of the Workforce Strategy Team
HB 38: Rep. Chuck Martin, Sen. Max Burns, and Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC) Presidents Lynne Riley and Chris Green
HB 172: Rep. David Huddleston, Sen. Matt Brass, Rep. Chuck Martin, and Sen. Max Burns
SB 85: Sen. Matt Brass, Rep. Trey Kelley, LG Burt Jones, Speaker Jon Burns, Rep. Chuck Martin, and Sen. Max Burns

From the Capitol Beat News Service via the Savannah Morning News:

House Bill 192, which the General Assembly passed this year with just two “no” votes, codifies into state law the Georgia MATCH program, a direct university and technical college admissions program created in 2023.

Under the program, every high school senior in Georgia receives a personalized letter from the governor listing the public universities, colleges and technical colleges he or she is academically eligible to attend. The letters go on to explain how students can claim a spot being held for them at the institution of their choice.

Enrollment in the University System of Georgia has increased by 6% since Georgia MATCH was launched, while technical college enrollment has grown by 9%, Kemp said Monday during a bill signing ceremony at the state Capitol.

The legislation, which was introduced as part of Kemp’s legislative agenda for this year, also requires the state Department of Education to tailor its curriculum offerings to prepare students for careers in high demand among Georgia employers.

“We have made incredible progress in aligning our business and education stakeholders … helping all Georgia students succeed no matter their zip code,” Kemp said.

The governor also signed Senate Bill 85, creating a college scholarship program for current or former foster children.

“This law removes financial barriers that too often force foster youth to abandon their college dreams,” Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns, R-Newington, said Monday.

House Bill 38 will ease the requirements for income-eligible students who already have earned most of their credit requirements to qualify for the need-based financial aid they need to complete their degrees.

House Bill 172 will increase the limits on loan forgiveness provided to veterinary students who have completed their degrees and plan to specialize in animals raised for human consumption.

Kemp last week signed Senate Bill 241 by State Sen. Rick Williams (R-Milledgeville) to allow “human composting” as a burial method, according to the AJC.

On Friday, Gov. Brian Kemp signed Senate Bill 241, which officially recognizes human composting as a legal method for disposing of a deceased person’s body in Georgia.

The law, which takes effect July 1, amends existing state rules for funeral directors, embalmers and crematories. It outlines the requirements for human composting facilities and directs the State Board of Funeral Service to develop guidelines for licensing them, among many other provisions.

In legalizing human composting, Georgia joins several other states that have already approved the practice, including California, Colorado and Washington.

The price of human composting services vary by company, but costs are generally around $5,000, excluding the expense of shipping a body to a licensed facility. That’s more expensive than basic cremation, but adding in the cost of urns and other funeral services, they are roughly the same price. A traditional burial is typically a more expensive option.

Businesses that pushed for the method to be legalized in Georgia say they’re now exploring building facilities here or in other locations on the East Coast.

Savannah-area legislators reacted to the FY 2026 state budget, according to WTOC.

We caught up with Representative Anne Allen Westbrook of the 163rd district.

“There are really significant investments in water infrastructure. We know that our region is growing by leaps and bounds and so our water infrastructure needs to keep up with that growth.”

Allen Westbrook – who is a Democratic member of the Georgia House of Representatives – is talking about nearly $502 million from the 2025 budget that is set to increase the availability of water across the Coastal Empire over the next five years.

That funding for water projects was the main focus for leaders of Savannah and Chatham County when they traveled to Atlanta earlier this year.

House Bill 340, banning cellphones in public school classrooms, goes into effect July 1, 2026, according to the Capitol Beat News Service via the Tifton Gazette.

Schools across Georgia will have to figure out how to pry cellphones from students’ hands next year now that a new ban will be taking effect.

House Bill 340 prohibits personal communications devices in public school classrooms from kindergarten through eighth grade.

The ban goes into effect in the summer of 2026. Gov. Brian Kemp signed the legislation last week after it passed the Georgia General Assembly with broad bipartisan support earlier this year.

A handful of school systems have already implemented local bans, including Marietta City Schools.

Marietta Superintendent Grant Rivera was among the leading proponents for a statewide ban, telling lawmakers in March that he’d seen dramatic changes in middle school, where students were talking with each other rather than hunching over screens.

“It impacts academics, it impacts their well-being, it impacts their relationships,” Rivera said at a legislative hearing. He said disciplinary issues were down, as well.

School districts have until January to write policies and procedures for locking up students’ phones from the first bell in the morning to the last one in the afternoon.

They must implement those policies by July 1, 2026, with hundreds of thousands of students affected when school starts that fall.

School leaders welcome the legislation. John Zauner, executive director of the Georgia School Superintendents Association, called the ban a well-meaning attempt to remove a major distraction during the school day.

“Cellphones in the hands of youngsters are definitely a distraction,” he said.

Fulton County School System, one of the largest school districts in Georgia, is already preparing.

“These new restrictions were already planned for the upcoming school year, and the new law affirms the direction we were taking to reduce distractions and strengthen student learning,” a district spokesman said. School board members will vote on the new policy in June. It not only would ban use during the school day through eighth grade, but also would prohibit use in high schools during instructional time.

While the idea of a statewide ban is popular, some have expressed concern about being unable to reach their children during an emergency, such as a school shooting.

Georgia voters will nominate candidates for Public Service Commission in Primaries on June 17, 2025, according to the AJC.

Eight candidates are running in partisan primaries for two PSC seats that were last elected in 2016 and 2018. Commissioners earn $118,000 annually.

The primaries include incumbent Commissioners Tim Echols and Fitz Johnson, who has never been elected since Gov. Brian Kemp appointed him in 2021. All Georgia voters are eligible to vote in both PSC races.

PSC elections have been on hold since a federal judge appointed by President Donald Trump ruled in 2022 that statewide elections for PSC illegally reduce Black voting strength.

The next year, an appeals court overturned the judge‘s decision, citing the state government’s authority to set the voting method for state offices, regardless of the Voting Rights Act, which prohibits racial discrimination in elections.

Amid the legal fight, the state canceled PSC elections until it passed a law last year extending the six-year terms of existing commissioners and setting a new election schedule. That law is also being challenged in court, and the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals hasn’t yet ruled on the case as voters prepare to head to the polls.

Echols, whose term was originally scheduled to expire three years ago, said Georgia‘s system of electing PSC members statewide by requiring them to live in districts was set up by the General Assembly in 1998 to ensure South Georgia has a representative. The new law extending commissioners’ terms returned the commission to a regular election schedule, he said.

“I was planning to run for reelection regardless of how the rules were set,” said Echols, whose district covers eastern Georgia. “The staggered terms of the PSC are important to maintain institutional knowledge.”

State Rep. Rob Leverett, who supported the bill that rescheduled PSC elections, said it was important to move forward with races.

“We‘re glad to be back to having elections and hope to get back on a regular schedule,” said Leverett, a Republican from Elberton. “I think that’s good for everybody.”

All registered Georgia voters are eligible to vote for both Public Service Commission races on the ballot. A total of eight candidates — five Democrats and three Republicans — are running for District 2 in eastern Georgia and District 3 in metro Atlanta.

May 27-June 13: Early voting for Public Service Commission partisan primaries
June 17: Primary election day
July 15: Primary runoff election day
Nov. 4: General election day

United States Representative Buddy Carter (R-SSI), running for U.S. Senate, spoke to the Golden Isles Republican Women, according to The Brunswick News.

Carter criticized incumbent U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff. D-Georgia, for helping to block a vote in the Senate that would have prohibited biological males from competing in girls’ sports.

“We need a MAGA warrior,” Carter said, addressing the monthly meeting of the Golden Isles Republican Women Monday. “We need someone in the U.S. Senate who will support Donald Trump. Jon Ossoff does not align with Georgia voters.”

Carter announced earlier this month he will oppose Ossoff in 2026.

Carter described Trump’s job so far “the most consequential first 100 days of any president.”

“This president has kept his promises,” he said.

Carter announced a new trade agreement with China, which was unexpected news among some analysts.

Following talks over the weekend in Switzerland, the Trump administration agreed to temporarily reduce the 145% in tariffs charged on imports from China to 30% for 90 days. In return, the Chinese government will slice its retaliatory import taxes on U.S. goods from 125% to 10% while the two sides continue to negotiate.

“This has not been easy. It’s been very difficult,” he said. “We all want fair and balanced trade.”

The president warned the American public tariff negotiations would be “tough” but necessary, Carter said.

“I applaud the president for what he’s doing,” Carter said. “It takes a great leader like Donald Trump to do something like this.”

While other presidents have tried to cut government spending, Trump is the first president to made the cuts needed to slash the budget.

“He’s shaking things up,” he said. “They are saving taxpayers billions of dollars.”

He conceded some of the government spending cuts may have gone too far.

“There has been some overreaching, I agree,” he said.

From The Current GA:

Carter urged the Golden Isles Republican Women’s Club to spread word of his candidacy — an apparent acknowledgement that statewide name recognition may be one of the six-term congressman’s biggest obstacles to winning to Republican bid to run against Ossoff.

“We need all the votes we can get. Please talk to the people you have throughout the state, a friend, a family member. We need their help. We need your help,” the six-term congressman from St. Simons told a luncheon audience of some 60 people gathered on the island.

As the House undertakes to produce what Trump has called a “big beautiful” budget bill, Carter said that continuing tax cuts passed during the first Trump administration before they lapse at the end of this year was crucial.

If those tax cuts expire, “88% of all Americans will see the highest tax increase they have ever seen,” he said.

He said Monday that he is “a man of faith” and decided to run for the nomination after “prayerful consideration.”

The state, he said, needs a Republican senator who will support Trump, whom Georgians voted “overwhelmingly” to office last year. Trump defeated Democrat Kamala Harris by 2.2% of the ballots cast in Georgia, or 115,100 votes.

Just as Republicans did in 2024, Carter is making the issue of trans women playing in women’s sports a campaign focus.

Carter said he faces an “uphill battle” to win the Republican nomination in a field that could include a half-dozen candidates.

“It will be a long year.”

United States Senator Raphael Warnock(D-Atlanta) said cutting clean energy subsidies in the Inflation Reduction Act would impact Georgia employment, according to the Savannah Morning News.

Warnock’s office released a report last week that claimed the state is at risk of losing as many as 42,000 jobs and nearly $28 billion in investment if IRA credits were cut. The senator’s push comes as the U.S. Congress works through its budget reconciliation process, where some tax credits may face repeal.

During the press conference Monday, which was held at the Georgia Ports Authority headquarters, Warnock put the onus on Georgia’s federal Republicans to fight for the credits.

“Now it’s up to Georgia’s congressional Republicans to protect these clean energy credits,” Warnock said. “Let’s choose the people over politics. Let’s choose jobs over the games that so often get played in Washington, D.C. Let’s protect these jobs and protect these investments.”

From the Ledger-Enquirer:

Nearly every corner of Georgia has a manufacturing factory enabling a clean energy economic transition. From Dalton to Savannah and West Point to Pendergrass, manufacturing plants are being built, with some producing an end product that Georgians can drive away in.

Of all 50 states, Georgia had the largest amount of announced private investment in clean energy form 2020 to 2023, according to the Department of Energy. A total of $32 billion in investment has been announced in the last few years. Eventually, the manufacturers could receive federal tax credits for their millions and billions in investments from the Inflation Reduction Act, which created clean energy subsidies in an effort to combat climate change when it was passed into law under President Joe Biden’s administration.

But the federal investments could just as quickly go away, as the IRA is being floated by Georgia Republicans –and other Republicans throughout the U.S. – as a “Green New Scam” that should be repealed. This month, Congress has to decide what to include in its budget reconciliation to help alleviate the $4.5 trillion tax cuts President Donald Trump is calling for. The IRA could be on the chopping block in order to eliminate the offered tax cuts.

Repealing the IRA has clean energy experts and Georgia Democrats worried about what would happen to these companies, those who work at these companies and the entire Georgia economy, should they not receive the credits that they depend on.

Groups who have been tracking the clean energy transition, such as Climate Power, found 41,738 jobs have been created from the massive boom of investment in Georgia. They also found that the $32 billion in investment from 2023 has shrunk to $27 billion since President Donald Trump was elected. Earlier this year, Freyer battery announced it was canceling a major project in Newnan and moved to Texas. Aspen Aerogels, another battery supply chain plant in Register, canceled its plans in March. Neither cited the potential repeal of the IRA directly as their cause for cancellation or movement to another state.

Rep. Earl “Buddy” Carter, whose district covers most of the Southeast portion of Georgia, is an outlier among his Republican colleagues: he supports the Inflation Reduction Act.

Last August, he was one of 18 Republican signatories asking House Speaker Mike Johnson to not do away with the IRA if Trump got elected. In March, Carter and 21 other House Republicans sent a letter to Rep. Jason Smith of Missouri, chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. In that letter, they asked Smith to “keep our current path to energy dominance amid efforts to repeal or reform current energy tax credits.”

On the other side of the Peach State, three Georgia Republicans strongly believe the IRA should be repealed. In May, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Rep. Andrew Clyde and Rep. Rich McCormick were three of 38 lawmakers who said the IRA should be repealed because it will cost taxpayers $1 trillion over the next decade, burdening tax payers, inflating energy costs, and threatening reliability of our power grid, in a letter sent to Smith.

“We are deeply concerned that President Trump’s commitment to restoring American energy dominance and ending what he calls the ‘green new scam’ is being undermined by parochial interests and short-sighted political calculations…these subsidies props up unreliable energy sources while displacing dependable, proven energy like coal and natural gas,” the letter said.

But Greene, Clyde and McCormick all have clean energy projects in their district. The most notable one is Qcells near Dalton, in Greene’s district, which combined with a newer addition to the plant in Cartersville has invested $2.5 billion. SK Battery opened up an IT plant in Roswell in McCormick’s district, to support it’s mega battery plant in Commerce. Clyde’s district is home to the Toyota Industries Electric Systems North America plant in Pendergrass, which has invested $69 million.

“As a Georgia business owner, it’s offensive to Georgia-born and raised businesses that have never benefited from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA),” Greene said in an email to the Ledger-Enquirer. “Many of the jobs created under the IRA are given to imported foreign labor. Many of the companies benefiting from the IRA are not even American-owned businesses. I represent a manufacturing district, and some of these companies compete directly with existing American-owned businesses and steal their workers.”

Glynn County Superior Court Judge Bert Guy Jr. took office as President of the Council of Superior Court Judges of Georgia, according to The Brunswick News.

Glynn County Superior Court Judge Bert Guy Jr. took the role of president of the Council of Superior Court Judges of Georgia on May 1. He will serve through April 30, 2026.

Guy has served as a Superior Court judge in Brunswick since Jan. 1, 2017. Prior to joining the bench, he maintained a general law practice focused on litigation and transactional work from 2002-2016. Guy has served as the council’s legislative chair for several sessions.

The council represents Georgia’s 227 active and more than 100 retired Superior Court judges.

Established by the General Assembly in 1985, the Council supports judicial excellence by promoting improvements in court operations and legal processes.

The Chatham County Commission is hosting meetings to discuss a proposal to renew the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST), according to WTOC.

A new round of sales taxes could be coming to Chatham County, that’s if it makes it onto the ballot in November and voters decide to pass it.

Starting Tuesday, the Chatham County Board of Commissioners will be hosting town hall meetings within their districts to discuss the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, known as SPLOST.

November may seem far away, municipalities are already working to make a list of the projects they prioritize.

Recently, city and county leaders have gotten together to discuss some of those priorities making their first attempt at a county-wide list.

As we get close to November, Savannah’s city manager is asking voters to think about all the projects the sales tax has funded in the past.

“Think about the courthouse, think about jail expenses, think about the arena when it was on SPLOST. SEDA was given $10 million for manufacturing sites. The city was given another $10 million to help improve Grayson Stadium, etcetera,” said City Manager Jay Melder.

Municipalities, like the City of Savannah, will need to provide a full list of their priorities to the county by May 23.

Tuesday’s town hall is happening for those living in District 1. It will be at Montgomery Athletic Association at 6 p.m.

Martin G. Waters will leave as Superintendent of Evans County Schools, according to WSAV.

The Evans County Board of Education (BOE) and the superintendent have reportedly mutually agreed to split during Monday’s board meeting.

Martin G. Waters will no longer be with the Evans County Charter School System (ECCSS) effective May 31, 2025.

The Bryan County Sheriff’s Office deploys RoboCop drones, according to WSAV.

The agency invested in drones several years ago, mainly using them to assist in search and rescue missions. Recently, the office made the decision to start using drones for more than just that. For example, to catch drivers breaking the law.

“The easiest way for those guys to be able to do that is, you know, wait till the vehicles, all the vehicles come into an intersection, and then they just kind of fly down, kind of down the side of the vehicles and just kind of visually check each one to see if there’s a seatbelt on or if somebody is riding in up to the to the crossroad with a phone in their hand,” Bryan County Sheriff Mark Crowe said.

The drone captures a picture of a violator, then an officer is deployed to pull over the vehicle. It is leaving some Bryan County commuters like David Graf questioning the legality.

“I think it’s a misallocation of funds and a breach of privacy,” Graf said. “Can they just do it the old school way? You know, there’s a line of sight. Will that hold up in court? I don’t know. I know there’s issues with the red-light cameras and other technology.”

Crowe responded to those concerns said they received the green light from the solicitor’s office.

“It is really no different than a camera being on the side of the road, taking a picture of you running a red light or a camera being on the side of the road, taking a picture of you speeding through the school zones,” said Crowe.

He continued, “The same people who are arguing against it would be some of the same people who pull out their cell phone and start recording you in public and say, ‘it’s not a privacy issue. I can record wherever I want to’. You have a phone that has a camera, I have a drone that has a camera.”

Crowe said because of the uptick in accidents in Richmond Hill and around the Hyundai Plant, it’s crucial to have physical presence.

“We are not out here trying to invade people’s privacy at all,” he said. “What we’re trying to do is accomplish a goal. We want the public to be safer. I want them to know that we’re out there looking.”

The Columbus Police Department brought speed cameras online in 20 school zones, according to the Ledger-Enquirer.

Police said the zones are the first to go live during the 2024-2025 school year, with 13 of the zones issuing warnings and seven zones issuing citations.

“This initiative is part of CPD’s broader School Zone Safety Program aimed at protecting students by curbing speeding during school traffic hours,” the news release says.

Police said additional school zones are expected to come online in the 2025-2026 school year. Citations are issued to those traveling 11 mph or more over the speed limit during active school zone hours, according to CPD.