Making Georgia Affordable, Safe, and Strong for Every Family

[The Cobb County Courier invites candidates to submit articles explaining what their vision is for the office they seek, and why voters should elect them. To check out our requirements for submissions, please visit this link]

By Brad Raffensperger – Candidate for Governor

Recently, I had the opportunity to spend time in Cobb County meeting with community leaders and local families. The conversations were honest and direct. People are proud of their communities, but they’re also concerned about the future.

Two primary issues came up again and again: affordability and safety.

As a Christian, conservative businessman who built companies and created jobs before entering public service, I’ve always believed government should focus on practical solutions that help families thrive.

The reality is that many Georgia families are feeling squeezed. Polling consistently shows that economic issues are voters’ top concern, and it’s easy to understand why. Inflation has driven up the cost of everyday necessities, and property taxes continue to climb. Grocery bills and gas prices are increasing, and workers feel a growing sense of job insecurity in an uncertain economy.

Across Georgia, families are making difficult choices. Some are picking up extra shifts. Others are working second jobs just to make ends meet. That isn’t sustainable, and it’s not the Georgia we want to leave to the next generation.

As a candidate for governor, I’ve made it a priority not just to talk about these challenges, but to put forward serious, workable plans to address them.

One of the most urgent issues we must tackle is property taxes. For many homeowners—especially seniors on fixed incomes—rising property taxes are becoming a heavy burden. I’ve proposed a comprehensive property tax relief plan that would cap property taxes for all Georgians and fully eliminate non-public safety, non-education property taxes for seniors. If you’ve spent a lifetime working hard and paying into your community, you shouldn’t have to worry about being taxed out of your own home.

Of course, one of the best ways to address the affordability crisis is through opportunity. When people have access to good-paying jobs, communities grow stronger and families gain the stability they need to build better futures.

That’s why I’ve released a jobs plan focused on creating high-quality opportunities across every region of Georgia. The plan builds on our state’s existing economic development strengths and uses targeted, performance-based incentives to attract reshored jobs in strategic, high-growth industries. By bringing these jobs back to American soil—and into Georgia communities—we can strengthen our economy while ensuring hardworking Georgians share in that prosperity.

I firmly believe that many of our affordability challenges can be solved by expanding access to good-paying jobs. Economic growth isn’t just about numbers on a chart. It’s about helping families pay the mortgage, buy groceries, and build a secure future for their children.

But affordability doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It goes hand in hand with another issue that Georgians care deeply about: public safety.

Nothing in government works effectively without public safety. If people don’t feel safe in their communities, everything else breaks down. Businesses hesitate to invest. Families consider moving away. Communities lose the sense of stability that makes them strong.

During my visit to Cobb County, parents and community members spoke clearly about their concerns. They want safe neighborhoods. They want law enforcement officers who have the support and resources they need to do their jobs. And they want schools that are focused on education—not politics.

Georgia parents are deeply concerned about the safety and focus of their local schools. They deserve assurance that classrooms are places for learning and growth, not soft targets for violence or platforms for political ideology. As governor, I will work with local leaders and law enforcement to ensure our schools are secure and our classrooms stay focused on preparing students for success.

As a Christian, my guiding belief has always been simple: leadership means serving others with integrity, responsibility, and a commitment to doing what’s right.

Georgia deserves leadership that focuses on results, not rhetoric.

In this race for governor, I’m the only candidate who has put forward serious plans to make our state more affordable and more secure. The people I met in Cobb County—and across Georgia—aren’t looking for political theater. They want real solutions that help their families and strengthen their communities.

Georgia is already the greatest state in our nation, but we can’t stay that way without planning for the future. With the right leadership and the right priorities, we can make it even stronger—safer neighborhoods, a more affordable cost of living, and greater opportunity for every family.

That’s the Georgia I’m fighting for.