Today Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist praised Georgia Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers for his consistent leadership on behalf of taxpayers in his state. Leader Rogers has defended against tax increases and worked to streamline state government, often in the face of intense pressure from appropriators and their special interest allies. Most recently, Senator Rogers has stood up against a multi-billion dollar tax increase for expanded public transportation, an unpopular but extremely principled position.

Norquist issued the following statement:

“Senator Chip Rogers has been fighting for Georgia taxpayers for ten years. No elected official in Georgia has done more consistently to stand with taxpayers against those who wish to raise taxes.

“The so-called ‘transportation tax’ is a more than a 7 billion dollar tax hike.  Senator Rogers knows that the problem isn’t that Georgia politicians are not raising enough in taxes.  They have been spending on areas other than transportation for years. Punishing today’s taxpayers for the bad spending decisions of yesterday’s legislators has it backwards.

“I am proud to have worked with Chip Rogers to bring down Georgia's tax burden and take on special interests in both parties. He is a great leader with a bright future in the Republican Party and conservative movement.”