Chattooga County residents will soon see changes to their water bills after Chattooga County Sole Commissioner Andy Allen approved a plan to gradually increase rates over the next five years.
A bipartisan measure moving through the Georgia General Assembly would eliminate the state’s 4% sales tax on diapers, baby formula, and menstrual products, classifying them as essential goods rather than taxable items. Supporters say the change would ease financial pressure on families, noting that while groceries and prescription drugs are already exempt in Georgia, diaper and feminine hygiene products are not.
Advocates point to long-term costs, with estimates showing the average woman spends about $18,000 on period products over her lifetime — plus roughly $1,000 in taxes. Government assistance programs like SNAP and WIC do not cover diapers, and the Georgia Diaper Bank Coalition estimates ending the diaper tax could save families about $80 per child. Diaper banks statewide distribute more than 1.4 million diapers each year to families in need.
The effort is being led this session by Republican State Sen. Randy Robertson, who says the issue is about prioritizing families despite the potential loss of millions in state revenue. The bill must pass committee before heading to the Senate floor ahead of Crossover Day, and supporters say it has bipartisan backing. If approved, Georgia would join a growing number of states that have eliminated sales taxes on menstrual and baby care products.
A Georgia Senate committee has rewritten legislation meant to protect consumers from higher electricity costs tied to the state’s fast-growing data center industry, advancing a version that supporters say is less explicit about shielding residential customers. The Senate Regulated Industries Committee approved the revamped proposal after rejecting language that would have clearly barred utilities from passing certain data center-related costs onto regular ratepayers.
Georgia drivers may finally be seeing a break after years of rising insurance premiums.
This month, Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John King announced more than $25 million in auto insurance rate reductions, led by major carriers including Allstate and Country Mutual. State officials say the filings signal a potentially more stable and competitive auto insurance market—welcome news for families who’ve watched monthly bills climb.
Republican Georgia Public Service Commission incumbent Tricia Pridemore announced Tuesday that she will not seek reelection this year, a move that adds fresh uncertainty to the balance of power on the five-member panel that regulates monopoly utilities such as Georgia Power.
Fuel prices in Georgia moved higher this week, pushing the statewide average to $2.72 per gallon as of Monday, though drivers could still see day-to-day swings at the pump. AAA-The Auto Club Group says rising oil costs and the start of seasonal refinery maintenance are tightening supplies and nudging prices upward, even as winter weather has kept demand somewhat lower.
A major sanitation rate increase approved by Summerville City Council is drawing criticism from Councilwoman Simone Adams, who says she voted against the change because the jump is too steep for residents to absorb at one time.
A major income tax cut plan approved by the Georgia Senate is being praised by supporters as “relief” for taxpayers — but critics on the left say the measure could end up harming the very people it claims to help: low-income residents and the lower working class.
Across Chattooga County and Northwest Georgia, many residents say steadily rising Georgia Power bills are placing increased pressure on household budgets, particularly for low- to moderate-income families and seniors on fixed incomes.
Georgia drivers are seeing familiar numbers at the pump this week, as the state’s average gas price remains unchanged from last week. As of Monday, the average is holding at $2.66 per gallon, though motorists could still see minor day-to-day fluctuations depending on location and timing.