This essay responds to Senator Matt Brass’s recent opinion column outlining his legislative priorities and record under the Gold Dome.
While Senator Brass frames his positions as fiscally responsible and family-focused, his claims do not reflect the real-world consequences of Georgia’s policy choices, particularly in health care and energy.
Georgia leaders frequently cite “conservative, responsible budgeting” as evidence the state is thriving, as Senator Brass does. But a healthy balance sheet is meaningless if it comes at the expense of people’s lives and livelihoods. Georgia has the second-highest uninsured rate in the nation, behind only Texas and far above the national average. This is not accidental. It is the direct result of conservative lawmakers refusing to expand Medicaid, despite years of substantial budget surpluses that could have improved health outcomes for hundreds of thousands of Georgians.
The consequences are stark. Research shows uninsured individuals face a roughly 40% higher risk of death than those with health coverage. Budget “discipline” that accepts these outcomes is not responsible governance; it is a moral failure. And the burden falls disproportionately on rural Georgia, including the district Senator Brass represents, where hospital closures and limited access to care have become routine.
Senator Brass’s handling of data centers follows a similar pattern. Senate Bill 410 is presented as bringing accountability by ending sales tax exemptions for data centers, but in practice it would have little effect. The bill applies only to data centers that fail to secure exemption certificates before the law takes effect. In reality, speculative projects can—and likely will—secure those certificates well in advance, if the bill becomes law at all. A similar effort to merely pause data center tax exemptions was vetoed by the governor in 2024.
Voters are clearly frustrated. Public Service Commission elections and recent special elections show growing anger over unchecked data center expansion and its costs. Senate Bill 410 preserves the core subsidies while creating the appearance of reform. Even worse, future capital investments—server upgrades, expansions, and new equipment—would remain exempt indefinitely. If protecting Georgians were truly the goal, this bill could have been written far more effectively.
What would actually protect families is requiring data centers to pay for the massive electric grid expansion built to serve them. That was the purpose of Senate Bill 34, which Senator Brass blocked in 2025 by preventing it from leaving the Rules Committee he chairs. Georgia Power opposed that bill and has donated thousands to Senator Brass’s campaigns. The question remains whether he will support meaningful reform now or allow weakened language that protects corporate interests over ratepayers.
Finally, Senator Brass’s warnings about sensitive data being stored overseas are a distraction. Data security is governed by federal law, not Georgia’s sales tax policy. Invoking foreign threats does nothing to address the local consequences of unchecked data center growth: higher electric bills, grid strain, environmental disruption, and cost-shifting onto everyday ratepayers.
If Senator Brass truly wants to strengthen families and lower costs, the path is clear. Expand Medicaid to save lives. Require data centers to pay for the infrastructure they demand. End tax exemptions in substance, not just in name.
Voters are watching. What Georgians deserve is real reform, not political theater.