Kemp calls for school vouchers, more teacher pay raises in election year speech
Dems accuse gov of "doublespeak"
Republican Gov. Brian Kemp on Thursday called for more teacher pay raises and backed another push for private school vouchers in an election-year-themed State of the State address.
“Later this year, the people of this state will once again fulfill their civic duty,” he began. “They will choose who occupies these seats of service, and they will determine what course America takes in the years to come.”
With Georgia’s bank account continuing to hoard billions of dollars in excess funds, Kemp’s speech largely centered around his plans for the state budget. He announced another $1.4 billion investment in K-12 education.
Public school teachers and state employees may have noticed a few extra bucks in their bank accounts during the holidays. They will be happy to hear that they will be getting another pay raise heading into the next fiscal year. Kemp says this will mark a 4 percent increase in their salaries during his administration.
But separately, he plans to make another push for a private school voucher system after a previous measure fell short last year, when more than a dozen Republicans joined with Democrats to sink it on the final night of the session.
Kemp offered no specifics in his speech but said that it’s time to find “the best path forward to provide our kids the best educational opportunities we can.”
“To that end, my office and I look forward to working with the members and leadership of both chambers to get a bill passed and signed into law this session.”
Democrats held an official response to Kemp’s speech. One said that the governor is “uninterested” in fighting for everyday Georgians, while others accused him of “doublespeak” in his assessment of the state’s economy.
But the budget, the only agenda item lawmakers are required to debate every year, is almost always unanimously approved.