(The Center Square) – Candidates in Georgia’s lieutenant governor’s race clashed in a debate Monday over property tax policies, data centers and voting records.
The Atlanta Press Club hosted a debate between Georgia Sens. Greg Dolezal and Josh McLaurin on Monday. The two candidates shared vastly different views on the approach to tax policies throughout the debate.
Dolezal called for eliminating property taxes across Georgia, a proposal that has floated through the Georgia General Assembly in the most recent session. House Speaker Jon Burns’ proposal to eliminate homestead property taxes, however, did not come to fruition before the end of the legislative session.
Dolezal touted the work of Republicans throughout the General Assembly to lower taxes across Georgia, including the recently enacted suspension of the state fuel tax. The average price in Georgia is $3.80 following the suspension, below the national average of $4.35, according to AAA.
“We can never insulate ourselves fully from Washington, D.C., but what we can do is we can lead at the state level to ensure that we’re looking out for Georgians,” Dolezal said.
Dolezal called property taxes “one of the most insidious forms of taxation” in the American economy. He also called for eliminating the income tax, which brings in $16 billion a year to the state’s coffers.
McLaurin slammed Dolezal’s tax proposals. He said eliminating both tax structures would cripple the state’s budget.
“Majority Republicans and Senator Dolezal, most of all, have been pushing this property tax lie, that you can somehow eliminate all property taxes and still fund local governments,” McLaurin said. “Local government[s] across the state are saying that their budgets, their ability to provide essential services that you rely on, would be devastated if they were to eliminate property taxes entirely.”
McLaurin called for work alongside local chambers of commerce to build more affordable housing. He said this proposal will expand the tax base and bring down per capita property taxes.
“That’s a real smart relief that works with everybody and doesn’t rely on empty promises and lies,” McLaurin said.
The two candidates also differed on support for data centers and voting records regarding their development. Dolezal called for local governments to have control over data center development while states put strict guardrails in place to protect citizens’ power bills.
Dolezal attacked McLaurin for initially voting against the extension of data center tax credits in 2022. McLaurin first voted against the extension but reversed his position and voted in favor of it before passage in May 2022, according to voting records analyzed by The Center Square.
In 2024, the General Assembly advanced legislation to pause the data center tax credit. McLaurin voted against the bill, which was eventually vetoed by Gov. Brian Kemp. The governor cited concerns over halting the ongoing technology investment created by data centers.
The Democratic candidate said he is concerned about environmental issues connected to data centers. He called for a slowdown in data center development.
“Local governments should be getting the best of these trillion-dollar corporations and imposing property tax relief in their districts by taxing the data centers instead, if that’s what they choose to do,” McLaurin said.
Dolezal criticized Georgia Republicans who voted against ending tax credit programs for data centers.
“I do not believe that we should be giving any sort of special tax treatment to large corporations, whether they’re data centers or otherwise,” Dolezal said.
McLaurin and Dolezal also traded personal criticism throughout the debate. McLaurin slammed Dolezal for his alignment with President Donald Trump and Mike Collins, the Republican running for U.S. Senate in Georgia.
“All you do is throw red meat to your base and repeat MAGA talking points, you are not focused and you are distracted from the issues that really matter,” McLaurin said. “Don’t let him be a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Vote for common sense government with bipartisan support, the type of work I’ve tried to do for eight years.”
Dolezal continued to criticize McLaurin’s voting record in the General Assembly and called for direct comparisons between the candidates.
“You don’t need to imagine how either one of us would govern, just look at our records. I don’t just have a record. I have a plan,” Dolezal said. “My priorities are lower taxes, safer communities, and excellent schools. I believe the next four years should be about one thing: making Georgia the best place in America to raise a family, start a job, and build a future.”
Early voting in Georgia begins on Tuesday. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day. For more information, visit the Georgia Secretary of State’s office at georgia.gov. For results on Election Day, visit thecentersquare.com/georgia.