The Georgia Legislature considered several bills that would enact a Georgia Work Credit this year. While none of them passed over from their originating chamber to the next by Crossover Day, each of the bills introduced in this session will still be active in the 2022 Legislative session. There’s also a chance a Georgia Work Credit could be attached to other tax legislation that has passed over in order to be considered this year as a direct economic payment—similar to the federal government’s stimulus checks.

A Georgia Work Credit modeled as a direct economic payment also helps maximize our federal dollars. The federal relief bill includes a provision where, if states pass tax cuts using the federal funds, the state loses some federal aid. There is an exception, however, for direct payments.

We need your help building public awareness about the Georgia Work Credit and informing lawmakers that this is what is best for their communities. On this page, find tools to make it easy.

Shareable Images

You can download all of the following images in a zip folder here.

Contact your lawmakers

Let your lawmaker know that you want them to support legislation that would enact a Georgia Work Credit. You can quickly email them here.

Share Your Story

We need real life examples to show how a Georgia Work Credit would benefit families. Share your own personal story here or share this link for others: https://actionnetwork.org/forms/share-your-story-66

Write a Letter to the Editor

A letter to the editor of your local newspaper is an excellent way to make your voice heard regarding your support for a Georgia Work Credit or any other issue in Georgia. Letters to the editor are short (ideally 250-300 words), simple and, whenever possible, reflect your personal reasons for supporting the GWC as a direct payment, whether you or a loved one would benefit, how your religious/moral views align with this measure, or how the measure affects you as a taxpayer. For the Georgia Work Credit, you can find benefits to your specific community by viewing your county’s GWC fact sheet here.

A letter to the editor can quickly be sent via email. Please put LETTER TO THE EDITOR in the subject line. In the body of the email you may write:

Hello, I am writing to submit a letter to the editor regarding the importance of enacting a Georgia Work Credit. The letter is attached and below for your consideration.

Thank you,

Your Name

Your Title or Occupation (if applicable)

Your City/State Your Phone Number

**PASTE LETTER BELOW**

You may send a letter to any newspaper in Georgia. Contact information is often available on a

newspaper’s website.

Example Letter:

To the Editor,

The Georgia General Assembly should consider a Georgia Work Credit, which would reduce the amount of income tax owed by families with low or moderate incomes. This would benefit (number available here) children in (your county name) and put (number available here) back into our economy.

[Personal Story about how a Georgia Work Credit would help you, a loved one or your community. If you don’t want to share a personal story, you can say: A Georgia Work Credit helps families afford necessities like rent and food. It sends money to local businesses and improves health and economic outcomes. Georgia needs this legislation.]

Lawmakers should enact a Georgia Work Credit this Legislative Session to ensure that families and small businesses who are struggling in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic can stay afloat. This boost would help them afford rent and address setbacks like sudden medical bills for families or decreased foot traffic for our small businesses.

Your Name

Your Title or Occupation (if applicable)

Your City/Town

Talking Points

Use these talking points to craft messages to lawmakers, inform partners and speak out on social media.

Key Points:

• To deliver true economic relief to families during COVID-19 and beyond, lawmakers in the Senate could include a direct economic payment modeled after the GWC in the state’s budget or attach the policy to other tax bills that seek to equitably raise revenues or deliver economic relief to Georgia families. This would be similar to the federal stimulus checks, and could go to anyone who qualifies for the federal EITC.
• A state-level EITC would provide up to $500 in targeted relief to the families of over 1 million Georgia children by reducing the amount of income tax working families owe.
• Right now, 1 in 5 Georgia families with children are struggling to put food on the table. Even before the pandemic, too many families could have used an extra boost to afford critical necessities like diapers or rent, or to save for a downpayment or emergencies.
• Thirty states have adopted an EITC as a proven tool with clear benefits like improved infant and maternal health, better educational outcomes and more.
• An EITC sends money right back to the local economy and supports small businesses.

Additional Information

• A Georgia Work Credit would:
  • Provide a tax cut to Georgia families who work but still struggle to make ends meet because of low-wage jobs.
  • Deliver the largest value to families making between $10,000 to $38,000 a year. Families being paid up to $56,000 per year are eligible, under the same criteria used for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit.
  • Benefit up to 1.1 million Georgia children and 980,000 adults.
  • Grow Georgia’s middle class by helping workers save money and afford the basics and putting them on firmer footing to climb the economic ladder.
  • Boost local economies and businesses by putting more disposable income into the pockets of Georgia consumers.
  • Provide needed resources to help parents access health services and prenatal care, with proven effects in boosting infant health.

Facts and Research

“Enacting a Georgia Work Credit: An Economic Boost to Georgia” – Downloadable fact sheet explaining how a Georgia work credit would benefit Georgians

Fact sheets for each county in Georgia that explain the benefit of a Georgia Work Credit in each.

“Enacting a Georgia Work Credit: A Boost to Georgia’s Economy” – Downloadable fact sheet explaining what a Georgia Work Credit is.

“Georgia Work Credit Grows the Middle Class” – Policy Brief

“The Earned Income Tax Credit and Young Adult Workers” – Policy Brief