Middle Georgia Senate candidates weigh in on state house bills

The special runoff election to fill a vacant Senate seat in Middle Georgia will take place next week with two candidates on the ballot.

Macon attorney Steven McNeel emerged from a crowded Republican field in the initial vote last month, while LeMario Brown was the sole Democrat running for the seat.

A special election was called in December after former state Sen. John Kennedy stepped down to run for Lieutenant Governor.

Brown has raised $13,815 in campaign contributions while McNeel has raised $323,132, according to the state ethics commission.

Early voting in Middle Georgia for the state Senate race closes Friday. Polls will open for Election Day on Feb. 17.

Both candidates have platforms centered around affordability. A number of bills addressing costs of utilities and taxes in particular have made their way into committee.

While both candidates said they’re more focused on campaigning than the minutiae of current legislation, both shared their thoughts on important legislative debates.

Georgia’s data center gold rush demands “guardrails”

Several bills are making their way through the General Assembly related to data centers. One bill to protect consumers from potential power costs associated with data centers made it through committee earlier this month.

Other bills have been introduced to address tax breaks and require data centers to disclose community impact and utility usage. There’s also a House bill to pause new data center approval altogether.

Brown said while data centers can be a source for new jobs and industry, lawmakers need to consider impacts on farmers and local resources. 

Brown said he hasn’t been able to look into specific proposals, but said he supports the idea of data centers being transparent with how they plan on protecting utility consumption.

“I’m not gonna stop economic development and growth, but I do believe we have to be sensible about legislation that we pass,” he said.

McNeel said he opposes tax breaks for data center developments. He said there needs to be more “guardrails.”

“It’s a local issue but state tax incentives as they stand are adding more fuel to that fire,” he said.

Several bills are targeting tax reform

The General Assembly is wading through several proposals to change how Georgians are taxed.

The Senate formed a special committee tasked with studying ways to eliminate the state’s income tax, a measure already adopted by states like Florida and Tennessee. The committee recommended starting by eliminating income tax on the first $50,000 for single filers and $100,000 for couples.

House Republicans have also proposed eliminating property taxes altogether by 2032. The House proposed a $850 million property tax relief effort as part of the adjusted fiscal year 2026 budget.

McNeel said he favors an incremental elimination of the income tax.

When it comes to property tax relief efforts, he said special sales taxes voted in by residents can make up the difference in funding for local governments.

“I think just with unmitigated, or a lack of any caps on these assessments, it’s a self-perpetuating cycle of mismanagement and a lack of restraint on local spending,” McNeel said.

Brown said he’s concerned about funding public schools and cities without state income taxes and property taxes. 

As a property owner, he said he understands the impact of taxes. He cautioned against using sales taxes to make up a loss in property tax revenue.

“It’s not just kicking the can down the road, it’s kicking the can down to the consumers,” Brown said.

Mayor Lester Miller’s senior tax proposal makes it to the House

A bill to implement a homestead property tax exemption for seniors and their primary residencies was filed in the House earlier this month, with Representative Dale Washburn, R — Macon, as one of its sponsors. 

Mayor Lester Miller initially introduced the tax cuts for seniors at an August 2025 press conference at City Hall. If passed, voters would decide whether or not to adopt the exemption.

Both candidates said they support proposals to limit property taxes for seniors.

“Seniors, they’ve paid into the community for years,” Brown said. “It’s a plus for the government to actually give them a return on the investment.”

“I’m an advocate of some meaningful property tax reform that people can understand and say is fair,” McNeel said.

Other legislation

Brown said it would be “premature” to talk about possible legislation he could propose. He said he plans on introducing legislation with small businesses and economic development in mind.

McNeel said he wants to enact harsher punishments for lawyers illegally receiving incident reports and personal information to solicit people in wrecks. It’s a “sinister practice” that leads to the corruption of local officials, he said.