Rep. Handel to McBath: Prove Where You Pay Taxes

From a prepared statement provided by Rep. Karen Handel’s (R, GA-6) campaign:

“Lucy McBath has twice stated publicly that her husband is a permanent resident of Tennessee, but he has claimed a homestead exemption in Cobb County since 2002 and is registered to vote in Tennessee. Ms. McBath has also stated publicly that she moved to Tennessee “briefly” in 2016, and public records show that she voted in Tennessee that year. She didn’t vote here in last year’s special election. Further, the McBaths still have vehicles registered there. If she has indeed moved back, her cars should be registered here — according to Georgia law — and the 7% Title Ad Valorem Tax should have been paid on them.

However, there’s an even bigger question. In what state do the McBaths file their income tax returns? Tennessee does not tax personal income, while Georgia does. In Georgia, the income tax funds half our state’s annual budget. That’s funding for our schools, for law enforcement, for all the state programs we depend on. Have the McBaths been paying taxes as residents of Georgia? Or have they been dodging taxes by claiming to be residents of Tennessee?

There’s an easy way to settle this. Today, I call upon Lucy McBath to: clearly state when she moved to Tennessee and when she moved back to Georgia, explain why she continues to have vehicles registered in another state, and prove the address she and her husband use when they file their income tax returns.

Steve and I have lived in the 6th District for nearly 25 years. We have properly claimed a homestead exemption on our primary residence. Our cars are registered in Georgia, as required by Georgia law. We have paid the taxes that we have owed — on our vehicles, our property, and our incomes.

Lucy McBath’s story just doesn’t add up. Voters deserve to know if our schools and our law enforcement officers have been shortchanged.”