TUCKER, Ga. (AP) — Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams is proposing a big teacher pay raise in her run for governor.
Abrams says Gov. Brian Kemp’s much-touted $5,000 across-the-board increase is not enough to recruit and retain teachers.
Abrams said Sunday she wants to boost average teacher pay over four years to $75,000, and average starting pay to $50,000.
Abrams says the plan would cost more than $400 million a year.
Republican Gov. Brian Kemp’s campaign says Abrams is proposing a ruinous amount of new spending.
But Abrams says Georgia can expand Medicaid health insurance and boost teacher pay without raising taxes, using growth in state tax collections.
