Every Halloween, we brace ourselves for the things that go bump in the night. Ghosts, goblins, vampires; the usual suspects. But as it turns out, the most frightening forces in Georgia aren’t hiding under beds or behind masks. They’re buried deep in the state’s tax code, zoning ordinances and stacks of regulations that haunt families, entrepreneurs and communities year-round.
Here at the Georgia Public Policy Foundation, we spend our days chasing these real-world monsters. We do this not with flashlights or garlic, but with data, ideas and a belief that Georgia can be freer and more prosperous when government steps aside and lets people thrive.
So, as trick-or-treaters head out with pumpkin buckets and candy dreams, here’s a tour of the haunted house we call Georgia public policy—and how we can exorcise a few ghosts along the way.
👻 The Ghost of Red Tape Past
If there’s one spirit that never seems to rest, it’s red tape. Georgia’s regulatory code runs more than 111,000 individual restrictions: everything from who can braid hair to how you can build a small home. These aren’t just words in the dark; they’re barriers to opportunity.
Across the state, entrepreneurs trying to open a new business or expand an existing one often find themselves tangled in a maze of permits, fees and outdated rules. It’s enough to make even the most determined innovator feel cursed.
Our Foundation works to shine a light on these hidden costs as we champion regulatory reform that keeps Georgia competitive. Because when we cut unnecessary rules, we don’t invite chaos; we invite creativity, competition and growth.
It’s time to lay this ghost to rest once and for all.
🏚️ The Zoning Zombies
You can’t have a good horror story without zombies that are slow-moving, relentless and hard to kill. In Georgia, the undead go by another name: outdated zoning codes.
Across the state, local zoning laws continue to block the creation of new, affordable housing. Minimum lot sizes, bans on accessory dwelling units and restrictions on multifamily development keep Georgia’s housing supply from keeping up with demand. The result? Rising home prices, fewer starter homes and growing pressure on hardworking families.
Our research found that Georgia is not building enough homes to keep up with demand. That’s not sustainable. To keep Georgia thriving, we need to update zoning rules, empower local innovation and bring new housing options—from tiny homes to townhomes—back from the grave.
Let’s stop treating every new neighborhood like a monster under the bed and start welcoming smart growth that keeps Georgia affordable.
🧛 The Tax Vampires
Then there are the vampires. These are unseen forces that quietly drain our energy (and our wallets). Georgia’s tax code has improved dramatically in recent years, with a flat income tax now in place and a path to lower rates ahead. But while the state has made progress, our neighbors aren’t standing still.
North Carolina is on a glide path to a 3.99% income tax rate. Florida and Tennessee don’t tax personal income at all. It’s a similar story in our Southern states. If Georgia rests too long in the crypt, we risk losing our competitive edge.
That’s why the Foundation continues to push for smarter, simpler tax policy that rewards work, investment and growth. Lowering the tax burden means more money in the pockets of families and small businesses, and less blood drained from Georgia’s economy.
No silver bullets needed: just common sense and fiscal discipline.
🧟 The Bureaucratic Boogeymen
Even the bravest reformers can get spooked by the size of government. Bureaucratic creep is like fog on a dark night. It rolls in slowly until you can’t see the road ahead. Every new program, agency or spending line may seem small, but together they create a web that traps taxpayers and stifles accountability.
Georgia has long been proud of its conservative budgeting, and for good reason. Prudent fiscal management has kept the state stable, even through national economic storms. But the temptation to grow government never truly dies.
That’s why we advocate for measures like a Taxpayer Relief Fund to save surplus revenue for future tax cuts instead of new spending. It’s a safeguard against the boogeymen of runaway budgets and ensures Georgia remains one of the best-managed states in the nation.
🎃 A Georgia Future Without Fear
Policy can feel scary. It’s complicated, full of hidden consequences and often presented as a choice between the lesser of two evils. But Georgia has shown time and again that smart, principled reforms work. We’ve seen it in education choice, where new models like charter schools and microschools are giving families the freedom to find what works best for their children. We’ve seen it in tax reform, where careful planning has made Georgia a leader in the Southeast.
These aren’t ghost stories but proof that sound policy, grounded in liberty and responsibility, can make life better for every Georgian.
This Halloween, as porch lights flicker and costumed kids shout “trick or treat,” we’ll be here shining a light into the darker corners of state policy, separating myths from facts and helping Georgia face its future with confidence, not fear.
After all, at the Georgia Public Policy Foundation, we believe in no tricks—just smart policy.