Issue Position: Strengthen Georgia Families

Issue Position

More than five years after the recession, middle-class families in Georgia are still feeling the strain of our sluggish recovery. While there are signs that markets and industry are improving, many Georgia families don't see similar progress in their family budget. Too many folks are stuck in jobs that provide little opportunities for growth and advancement or simply can't find a job at all. And a dollar doesn't go as far as it used to for Georgia families. Wages have been stagnant since the 1990's while the price of virtually everything from childcare to groceries has climbed.

Georgia families work hard, and they need leaders in Washington who will put aside political games and work collaboratively to create jobs and growth. Georgia families want leaders in Washington who understand what it's like to balance a budget each year and know that the best economic legacy we can leave our kids is a stable economy with long-term growth.

Here are some ideas to strengthen the middle class and give Georgia families a fair shake.

Simplify the tax code: Georgia families and small businesses are paying too much in taxes. Our tax code is too complicated and there are too many loopholes carved out for special interests while the burden falls on everyday Georgians. I support taking a "blank slate" approach to revising the tax code and taking a close look at every tax expenditure, with input from all Americans, to build a code that is simple, fair and spurs economic growth.

Equal Pay For Equal Work: People should get paid for the work they do -- not who they are. But women and older workers find themselves being paid less than their counterparts for the same work. In Georgia, women in the workforce are paid 81 cents for every dollar paid to men, which means the average woman working full time earns $8,464 less than the average man each year. And age-discrimination is becoming an increasing problem in the workforce -- with almost three times as many complaints filed in 2010 as in 1997. I support strengthening protections for all Georgians - measures like the Paycheck Fairness Act - to ensure that they are treated fairly.

Respect For Hard Work: There is dignity in working hard and contributing to Georgia's economy, and we should respect it. In 2012, 136,000 Georgians were making the minimum wage or less; but a family of two with the breadwinner making minimum wage is still below the poverty line. That's why I support efforts to increase the minimum wage to ensure that wages keep pace with inflation.

Encouraging Those Who Are Trying to Find Work: More than five years after the economic crash, more than 63,000 Georgia workers who lost their jobs are still looking for work. We should encourage those folks to keep looking by extending unemployment insurance. Recent economic data has shown that many of these folks have stopped looking for work. Economists and leaders on both sides of the aisle agree that extending unemployment insurance is good for our economy in the long run, but our leaders in Washington can't agree how to do it. That's unacceptable.

Reduce The Cost Of Childcare: Too often, Georgians are kept out of the workforce because they are unable to afford safe and reliable childcare. In Georgia, childcare can cost as much as tuition for college. I believe families should be able to write-off the cost of childcare as a business expense. We also should do more to incentivize employers to provide quality childcare options for their employees.

Bring Down The Cost Of College: We know a college degree is a great investment, but the skyrocketing cost of higher education means the average family and student has to heap on thousands of dollars in debt just to build their future. A majority of college seniors in Georgia graduate with debt, and the average debt load is $22,000. I support preserving low cost loans for students while at the same time encouraging colleges and universities to keep tuition costs down by tying some federal support to schools' ability to keep costs low.

Expand Successful Career & Technical Education Programs: A traditional four-year college isn't for everyone, and career and technical education programs are critical to building a workforce that can compete in the global marketplace. Georgia's Quickstart program, which provides customized workforce training to qualified businesses and industries, has trained nearly one million workers at 6,200 companies of all sizes since 1967. Georgia is a model that other states can follow, and I would work hard to preserve federal support that helps Quickstart succeed.

Source