Senate Republicans unveil income tax cut proposal tied to broad cuts in ‘corporate welfare’

The press tends to frame Georgia’s proposal as a giveaway to the rich dressed up as “tax reform,” and it’s usually paired with a knowing nod about “corporate welfare.” That framing misses what voters actually notice: a code so cluttered with carve-outs that nobody trusts it.

If lawmakers are serious about cutting income taxes, pairing that with broad reductions in corporate credits is the right direction. Too many tax incentives pick winners, reward lobbying, and turn the state into an investor in private balance sheets. Fairness in the tax code means fewer special deals, not more.

The conservative case is straightforward: lower, flatter rates and ending corporate favoritism can improve growth without expanding government’s role as referee. The state should fund core duties, not manage the economy through backdoor subsidies.

The real test is discipline. Public trust rises when tax cuts are matched by credible restraint, and the rule of law matters when the system is simpler, predictable, and applied evenly.