Ga. state employees, school workers getting $1,000 bonus
ATLANTA, Ga. - Georgia’s government will put a little extra jingle in the pockets of state, university and public school employees, paying them a $1,000 year-end bonus, Gov. Brian Kemp announced Monday.
Officials said the roughly 112,000 state and university employees would get the extra $1,000 by the end of the year, while school districts will determine when the roughly 196,000 teachers and staff get the bonus. Elected officials and judges won’t get the cash.
“We have heard from our agency heads about the need to retain those with valuable skills and knowledge,” Kemp said during a news conference at the Georgia Capitol. “This one time end-of-year retention payment will help us do just that.”
The governor’s istration says it’s still studying whether it will propose permanent pay raises in the budget. But with all state representatives and senators up for election in 2024, Kemp and top Republican lawmakers are beginning to hint that they expect permanent pay boosts. They delivered $7,000 in pay raises to teachers and state and university employees during Kemp’s first five years.
“It’s going to be a good Christmas and New Year here in Georgia,” Kemp said. “And there’s more good news coming in the weeks and months ahead. So, stay tuned.”
The nearly $330 million in overall bonuses will come out of the current year’s budget, said Kemp spokesperson Garrison Douglas, with lawmakers approving the money in a budget amendment once they return in January. House Appropriations Committee Chairman Matt Hatchett, a Dublin Republican, said lawmakers don’t object to Kemp spending the money now even though they haven’t officially appropriated it.
“We’ve signaled our ,” Hatchett said.
“Throughout the pandemic, a summer of unrest, and the unprecedented challenges of the last several years, our state employees have worked hard, taken on additional challenges, remained committed to serving their fellow Georgians, and become more streamlined so we can remain the best state for opportunity,” Kemp said. “This retention pay supplement will arrive during the holiday season, and it’s part of my istration’s way of showing our appreciation for all that they do.”
Earlier this month, Kemp and Republican lawmakers said they would speed up an already-planned state income tax cut, setting a flat income tax rate of 5.39% starting Jan. 1. That cut, from Georgia’s current system with a top 5.75% tax rate, is projected to cost $1.1 billion in forgone tax revenue. Kemp earlier rolled back gasoline and diesel taxes for a little more than two months at an estimated cost of $450 million.
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