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On The Issues
A homegrown policy specialist with proven results putting ideas into action, JT believes in advancing a positive, pragmatic, and progressive vision for Georgia, guided by three core values: Community, Opportunity, and Progress.
He believes in making the American Dream accessible for all - and giving every parent, teacher, and child the support they need to thrive.
He believes in bringing the public and private sectors together to inspire innovative solutions that help lift up all Georgians - especially when it comes to fighting for our kids' futures.
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And, most importantly, he believes that we're stronger together than we are apart - and that now is our moment to show exactly what makes Gwinnett County the beacon of the new Georgia!
INVESTING IN EDUCATION
I've spent my career creating innovative solutions that actually produce results for our kids.
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As your Representative, I'll prioritize Georgia's education by:​
Restoring the $600 million cut from our public school system.
Protecting and expanding Georgia’s HOPE & Zell scholarships.
Investing in teacher supports, enhanced early learning & literacy programs.
Creating challenge grants rewarding effective innovation in the classroom.
Enacting meaningful tuition tax credits and aid programs for working families.
Defending free and open discussion of our shared American history in our schools.
Over half of our kids won't read proficiently by the third grade, yet our government is still failing to fully fund our public schools - according to their own financial formula!
Instead of tapping into the $10 BILLION in state and federal funds we now have on hand, our leaders are choosing to sit on their hands - leaving our kids, our parents, and our teachers under-resourced and under-served.
Making matters worse, the folks in charge refuse to consider common-sense solutions to fully and sustainably fund Georgia's HOPE & Zell scholarships to make college more affordable and more accessible for all.
Yet, our Lottery has nearly $1.3 BILLION dollars in reserves just gathering dust.
It's time to put that money to work. Let's lead by example and invest those reserves in an education trust fund to provide need-based grants for hardworking Georgia students.
FIGHTING FOR HEALTHCARE
I've spent my career fighting for forward-thinking programs to get folks the care they need.
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As your Representative, I'll prioritize Georgia's healthcare by:​
Expanding Medicaid using federal incentives to cover 600,000+ uninsured Georgians.
Increasing access to gold-standard treatments to help overcome the opioid crisis.
Trusting the science and promoting full transparency, especially around COVID-19.
Defending reproductive rights & supporting frontline providers.
Enhancing patient protections and provider price transparency.
Incentivizing medical residencies and provider relocation to serve high-need areas.
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Over 600,000 Georgians still don't have access to quality and affordable health insurance, despite the overwhelming popularity of expanding Medicaid in Georgia.
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Not only is the federal government offering a "90% off coupon" for states like Georgia to fully expand Medicaid coverage, but new funds in the American Rescue Plan would actually help the state EARN more money than coverage costs - and help create high-paying healthcare jobs all across our state.
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But instead, our current leaders have chosen to take half-hearted half-measures, trying to make it look like they care by pushing a small coverage expansion that would end up costing MORE than full expansion and covering LESS people!
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Making matters worse, thanks to bureaucracy and a lack of will by Georgia's leaders, too many victims of our national opioid crisis here in the Peach State are struggling to access the lifesaving medication they need to return to their normal lives.
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Addiction is a disease - not a moral failing. Let's stand up for every Georgian and make sure everyone has the quality and affordable healthcare they need to thrive.
GROWING OUR ECONOMY
I've spent my career partnering with private-sector leaders to create fair, forward-looking, and high-paying jobs - and I've already worked with Gwinnett County leaders to deliver living wages and pay raises for employees right here in our community while on the Gwinnett County Public Library Board.
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As your Representative, I'll prioritize Georgia's economy by:​
Our district's incredible small businesses and innovative start-ups are the backbone of our economy. From fueling the future to creating high-quality jobs for our community, there's a reason why Gwinnett County is consistently ranked one of the top counties in Georgia for small business!​
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Georgia deserves leaders with deep roots and proven experience in both the public and private sectors, to make sure that our economy works for all of us.
Our employers shouldn't need to worry about the next boycott or controversial bill that will cause talented workers to flee Georgia.
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Our workers shouldn't need to worry about making a living wage or being priced out of their homes. No Georgian should have to work multiple jobs just to make ends meet or keep a roof over their heads.
And our entrepreneurs should know that their leaders always have their backs - especially when they're on the front lines of researching and innovating the climate-friendly technologies of the future.
With our state's best-in-class universities and our community's belief in the power of innovation, there's never been a better time to invest in Georgia. With the right investments in technology, public transit, and research, let's keep the Peach State one of the best places in America to do business.
Designing urban-rural partnerships to support Georgia businesses and create new jobs.
Promoting forward-thinking tax incentives that reward climate-friendly innovation.
Investing in public transit and long-term commuter solutions to relieve congestion.
Supporting R&D hubs and best-in-class partnerships like the PTC Curiosity Lab.
Advocating for living wages for all with tax credits for responsible small businesses.
Standing up to divisive policies that alienate industry and harm talent retention.
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PROTECTING OUR FUTURE
Together, we can reclaim Georgia's place as a beacon of justice, civility, and civil rights, and show the world what the future of the New South truly looks like - united in pursuit of a common goal, with liberty and justice for all.
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As your Representative, I'll prioritize justice and protect Georgia's future by:​
Standing up to the Big Lie and ensuring every Georgian's constitutional right to vote.
Combating discrimination in all its forms and standing up for marginalized communities.
Requiring the use of body cameras and banning no-knock warrants for law enforcement.
Codifying state-wide best practices in crisis intervention and situational awareness.
Defending constitutionally guaranteed equal rights for all Georgians, including Dreamers.
Expanding equal services and accessibility for non-English speakers across Georgia.
This far into the 21st century, it should be unthinkable that fundamental tenets of our democratic republic are coming under attack - but we've seen it happen every single day.
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From the armed terrorist insurrection by conspiracy theorists on January 6th to elected leaders spreading rampant and repeatedly disproven lies about voter fraud right here at home, it can seem like our foundational principles of truth and justice have never been more at risk.
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We owe it to future generations to stand up for justice and protect our future.
We owe it to our children to keep fighting to create an ever more perfect union, because our quest for the American Dream won't be done as long as systemic inequality or unequal treatment under the law exists for anyone: no matter where they live, what they look like, how they pray, or who they love.
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Georgia is the home of visionary civil rights leaders whose stands against injustice have echoed across history.
With every peaceful protest, every cast ballot, every revised law, and every defense of our God-given constitutional rights, we can add another notch into that long line of principled action. Together, let's show why Gwinnett is a beacon of the New Georgia!