ATLANTA — Gov. Brian Kemp is once again touting Georgia as the best state to do business in, highlighting a record year for economic development.
A day after Stacey Abrams, who is running against the incumbent for the governor's seat, announced her economic plan, Kemp is chalking up the successful 2022 fiscal year as a political point to keep him in office.
"From day one, my administration has prioritized bringing jobs and investment to every corner of our state," he said in a prepared statement. "We have consistently set records; only to shatter them the following year as we have never been content to rest on our laurels."
Kemp goes on to describe Georgia as having a business-friendly environment adding the state's economic success is also due to its logistics network and its workforce training program.
Statistics provided by the governor's office said investments in expansions totaled more than $21.2 billion and 51,132 jobs. This excludes "the two largest projects in state history" Rivian and Hyundai Motor Group, a news release reads.
Numbers show 85% of the investments and more than 30,000 new jobs came from outside the metro Atlanta region, officials said.
These were just some highlights Kemp shared with a sizzle reel as his backdrops noting the industries impacted by the record-setting year of this type of economic growth.
"Thanks to conservative budgeting and careful planning of those here today, our state revenues continue to be at historic levels without raising one cent of Georgians' taxes on their people or your businesses," Kemp said during an event under the gold dome.
During his address at Georgia's Capitol, Kemp once again jabbed at President Biden's Administration, adding the state's economic success is not a burden to the people he serves -- unlike the "high sky inflation caused by bad policies coming out of Washington D.C."
Kemp stopped short of acknowledging his opponent in the governor's race.
Just a day before, Abrams revealed her plan on how to use the state's $5 billion surplus which includes making long-term investments in Georgia's young, rural and small business populations without raising state taxes. This plan also calls for bringing sports betting and casinos to Georgia.