A RESOLUTION REQUESTING THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PROVIDE GREATER FUNDING AND ASSISTANCE TO THE STATE OF GEORGIA TO OFFSET THE TAXES PAID BY IMMIGRANT TAXPAYERS YET NOT DISTRIBUTED TO THE STATE TO FUND NECESSARY SERVICES FOR THOSE RESIDENTS MANDATED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
WHEREAS 9% of the state's current residents are immigrants born outside of the United States, and 25% of Georgia's new resident increase in the last decade was reportedly due to new immigrants; and
WHEREAS Georgia faces a growing fiscal deficit;
WHEREAS Federal laws mandate that each state provide certain necessary services including emergency health care and education for all residents, regardless of immigration status
WHEREAS The federal taxes that immigrant taxpayers contribute to the federal government, primarily through payroll taxes and withheld income taxes, far exceed the federal benefits used by those immigrants, yet that excess is not returned to the states and localities in federal funding formulas to assist in providing state and local services used by immigrant communities;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of GEORGIA that the United States Congress be urged to distribute the excess taxes that immigrants pay into federal coffers to assist states and localities in providing the federally-mandated programs that immigrant communities access.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this resolution be transmitted to members of the Georgia congressional delegation.