"Hallelujah!" Dems heap praise on Kemp's budget plan
HOPE scholarship funding draws praise from key Dems
Brian Kemp has long been a lightning rod among Georgia Democrats. There was once a time when the very mention of his name on cable news would generate millions in online donations for Democrats.
But with a landslide re-election now under his belt and the state’s piggy bank flush with cash, Gov. Kemp is beginning his second term with a more temperate governing style.
On the campaign trail, Kemp rarely offered details on his plans for a second term. That’s largely because he didn’t need to, as he enjoyed comfortable leads in most public surveys in the runup to election day.
He did, however, say that he will spend most of 2023 tackling the state’s budget surplus. He plans ask the General Assembly to approve another round of tax rebates for both taxpayers and homeowners.
“Kemp’s proposal would be $250 for single filers and $500 for married couples filing jointly. Kemp said his proposed property tax rebate would save homeowners on average $500.”
But there is one key part of the governor’s proposal that is drawing praise from some Democrats: funding for the HOPE Scholarship.
The HOPE program was spearheaded by Gov. Zell Miller in 1993 to reward Georgia students seeking an in-state education. It is funded entirely by the Georgia Lottery’s ticket sales.
But since its creation, the popular program has faced steep cuts due to rising tuition costs. The most drastic was in 2011, when lawmakers passed a bill that would only limit full tuition coverage to students with at least a 3.7 grade point average — and they must maintain a 3.5 GPA in college.
Students with at least a 3.0 were reduced to 90% tuition coverage, and those who lost access to HOPE were given just one chance to reclaim it.
But Kemp’s massive budget plan aims to undo most of these cuts, offering to cover tuition for every high school graduate with at least a B average. Restoring full eligibility would cost the state more than $60 million and would save the average student roughly $444 per year.
“Hallelujah!”
The proposal was met with praise from several notable Democratic lawmakers. State Rep. Stacey Evans, an Atlanta Democrat and a fierce supporter of the HOPE scholarship, reminded everyone that higher education can change lives.
Evans was a Democratic candidate for governor in 2018 and made the HOPE scholarship a centerpiece of her campaign. She has said that her college education would not have been possible without HOPE and has spoken out against cuts to the program during previous administrations.
“The cuts to HOPE in 2011 were drastic and wrong,” she said. “I’ve been fighting for over a decade to try to put things back together. [Gov. Kemp] did the right thing here and I thank him.”
State Sen. Nabilah Islam, a self-described progressive Democrat from Duluth, said that she was a senior at Georgia State University when HOPE was cut and that she witnessed the impacts first-hand.
“HOPE helped me realize my dream of becoming the 1st person in my family to graduate from a university,” Islam said on social media. “I’m glad [Gov. Kemp’s] budget proposal includes restoring funding for higher education.”
Bravo!👏🏽
Thank you Gov. Kemp. 💙