Georgia FairTax® Scores A Major Victory

The media’s eyes were on the state of Georgia this week as voters went to the polls in their Republican runoff election for the U.S. Senate. The Georgia FairTax (GFFT) organization played a pivotal role in helping educate voters on where candidates stood on the FairTax® Plan.

The monumental effort began in 2012, led by volunteer GFFT state director Jim Duffie and GFFT board chairman Bill Fogarty, when the GFFT team developed and published a comprehensive non-partisan candidate scorecard for rating candidates for elective office on their support of the FairTax.

In preparation for the 2014 election, GFFT volunteers began identifying and contacting candidates from both the Republican and Democrat parties. In addition, they researched positions of candidates on tax reform, volunteering hundreds of hours to bird-dog candidates and document what they actually said about tax reform during campaign stump speeches.

The team then offered candidates from both political parties a telephonic or in-person briefing on what the FairTax is, how it differs from proposed flat and current income tax systems and if desired, how to defend it from attacks.

Thanks to the generosity of GA FairTax supporters, all candidates who accepted the GFFT FairTax briefing were given a specially prepared binder containing copies of the FairTax white papers submitted to the 2013 U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means Tax Reform Study Group. These binders were a labor of love by GFFT volunteers and left a very strong impression on candidates regarding the depth of research that has gone into the FairTax legislation.

U.S. Senate candidate David Purdue accepted GFFT’s in-person offer, and went on to request an extended briefing with Phil Hinson and other GFFT leaders to ensure he understood the details of the legislation.

Perdue then made it a point to address tax reform while on the stump, noting that he was “a fighter for the FairTax.” Purdue’s diligence in learning about and fighting for the FairTax paid off when he was declared the victor in Tuesday’s run-off election.

This outstanding team effort by the GFFT serves as a model of what can be done across the nation.

Congratulations GFFT – we are FairTax proud!