Georgia House Dist. 164: Ron Stephens, Stephanie Burgess

Stephens

My top priority for the 2027 legislative session is meaningful, lasting property-tax relief for Georgia homeowners, while protecting essential public services and maintaining responsible fiscal management.

For years, I have worked to protect homeowners from being taxed out of the homes they worked a lifetime to afford. Rising property assessments can increase tax bills even when homeowners have not sold their property or realized additional income. Seniors on fixed incomes and working families are particularly vulnerable. I have spent years pursuing property-tax reform, including the Stephens-Day homestead exemption.

I believe Georgia must continue moving toward a system that provides predictable relief rather than temporary fixes. My goal is to advance a responsible path toward substantially reducing and ultimately eliminating property taxes on homeowners, while ensuring local governments and schools can meet their obligations.

Government must live within its means, just as Georgia families do. Taxpayers deserve to keep more of what they earn, families deserve financial security, and government must remain accountable to the people who fund it.

Burgess

My top priority for the 2027 session is addressing the rising cost of living, especially housing affordability and living wages. Working families in District 164 should not struggle to afford necessities while the local economy flourishes around them. Economic progress means little if people cannot afford to live in the communities they helped build.

I’m not anti-wealth; I’m anti-backroom deals. I’m not anti-growth; I’m anti-secrecy. I will advocate for legislation expanding affordable housing, improving wages, and requiring public hearings and community impact assessments before major developments receive approval.

Data centers will also be a top priority. My opponent voted to create Georgia’s data center tax break in 2018 and to extend it through 2031. Before lawmakers hand out anything more, constituents deserve full disclosure of the costs, benefits, and community impact. No blank checks. No backroom promises. No surprises after the vote.

I won’t vote against development. I will vote against development without direction, decisions without disclosure, and progress at the people’s expense. Economic growth should create lasting opportunities, protect community resources, and improve the quality of life for the people who live here.

Stephens

I ran for office because I believed government should better serve the people who work hard, raise families, operate businesses, and strengthen their communities. As a pharmacist, I saw firsthand how public policy affects everyday life, from prescription costs to the challenges facing small businesses and working families.

I first ran for the Georgia House in 1996 and began serving in 1997. Since then, I have worked on economic development, tax policy, job creation, and health care. That experience has shown me how responsible policies can attract investment, expand opportunity, create jobs, and help communities thrive.

To me, public service means accountability, practical problem-solving, making difficult decisions, and standing by your principles. My motivation remains unchanged: protect taxpayers, preserve individual freedom, expand opportunity, and leave Georgia stronger for the next generation.

Burgess

My upbringing motivated me to run. I grew up on a dirt road, the youngest of five. When people dumped trash in our neighborhood, my mother, Marie, organized, spoke up, and got things done. She volunteered at Head Start until they offered her a job. She taught me that public service isn’t about a title. I am her dreams played forward.

I’m everyday people wrapped into one. I’ve worn a badge, mentored inner-city youth, taught college, practiced law, owned a business, and been a caregiver. I’m also a proud rescue-pet mom.

I’ve stood beside families facing divorce, educational challenges, rising living costs, unaffordable housing, and rising prescription costs. I’ve seen mental health challenges cross every class line. These aren’t political talking points. They’re everyday realities.

I call myself double fisted: one hand knows what the law says, the other knows what life costs. I know the struggles, the system, and how to fight for change with integrity and tenacity. The question I faced in deciding to run for elected office wasn’t “Why me?” It was “Why not me?” If I’m willing to speak about what’s wrong, I should help make it right.

Stephens

Johnny Isakson is the leader I look to as a moral guide. He served Georgia in the state legislature before going to Congress and ultimately the U.S. Senate. He was widely respected for reaching across party lines to build consensus and get things done.

I had the privilege of working with Johnny in 2008 during the Great Recession, when we worked to stimulate homebuilding and advance tax incentives to help get Georgia’s economy moving again.

He demonstrated that effective leadership is not simply about partisan victories; it is about bringing people together to solve problems. His integrity, pragmatism, and commitment to consensus continue to guide my approach to public service.

Burgess

The leader who shaped me most never held office: my mother, Marie Burgess. Alongside my faith, she gave me my moral compass: honesty, hard work, self-respect, and integrity. She taught me to stand firm in my convictions, trust that what God has for me is for me and to never compromise my principles for personal gain. I’ve never been impressed by titles or power. I’m impressed by character and the willingness to get things done. I don’t measure public service by the title you hold but by the people you help and the difference you make.