Sunday Solutions — Jan. 18, 2026
Good morning! Winter returns to remind us who’s boss for a bit, but we’ve got plenty to ponder today. The General Assembly has opened. Will it address civic priorities or will it turn into an election-year free-for-all? We also look at the growing challenges to health care access in a state already beset by shortages in care and health outcomes. Grab your second cup of coffee to find timely research that shows that getting involved where we live may hold the key to our differences. Let’s roll.
SURVEY: GEORGIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Your priorities
Each year we ask you what you’d prioritize for your public servants as they head to work in the Georgia legislature. And you responded with gusto this year. Three of the top four legislative priorities in an informal reader survey conducted by The Current ahead of the session’s start last week related to the environment, with water management ranking highest. Not far behind was protection of the Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge. The Current‘s Craig Nelson rounds up the top and bottom results on 15 topics selected from priorities and requests from local governments and groups.
Check in daily at thecurrentga.org for daily reports from the legislature and discussions of policy and effects throughout the General Assembly session. There are updates there now with many more to come from The Current GA staff and our news partners across the state.
ANALYSIS: HEALTH CARE
The missing topic: Health care costs
Taxes and scholarships along with jobs and traffic were on the menu during Gov. Brian Kemp’s final State of the State address and the budget presented to the Georgia General Assembly. He addressed his accomplishments and called for more money to be returned to the taxpayers. But he didn’t address the issue that’s consistently taking more money than ever from citizens: health care costs and access. The Current‘s Margaret Coker was at the speech and spent some time last week reporting on health care affordability in the state and what’s next as federal cuts endanger rural health care, under and uninsured Georgians and Medicaid payments. Here’s her analysis of the state of affairs for health care access in Georgia.
How to follow money in politics
This year, voters will choose folks for every seat in the Georgia legislature and most statewide elected offices like governor and lieutenant governor.
It can be very interesting to know what industries are donating to each candidate and the candidate’s job and financial interests. Many own rental properties, timberland and other businesses all while writing laws that affect these industries. Check out campaign donations and politicians’ personal financial disclosures at the Georgia State Ethics Commission’s website.
— Maggie Lee
NEWS: COMMUNITY
A day for service
This holiday weekend brings opportunities for communities to come together in the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In Brunswick, A Better Glynn volunteers worked at various spots across the county to clean, repair and generally make things a little better. In Savannah, the area’s largest parade will begin at 10 a.m. Monday. A parade will begins in Brunswick at 10:30 a.m. followed by a free 12:30 p.m. concert by the Coastal Symphony of Georgia at Selden Park.
Quiz: Take 2
We had a false start last week with the new quiz form, but we’re back with a new one this week. Test your news knowledge with a few short questions related to stories we published recently. We’ll track winners and leaders over time, so be sure to fill out the form completely to get the credit you earn.
Make sure you compete every week and leave your name for a chance to win an exclusive prize from The Current GA!
EDITORS CHOICE: COMMUNITY
☕ Your second cup: Hometown pride
In this year where the United States of America celebrates tis 250th birthday or its semiquincentennial (yep, it’s the word), we take a look at the catalysts for civic involvement. A Georgia researcher has discovered that one answer seems simple: loving your town. His research shows that the more people like their town, the more engaged they are. Local patriotism, where people care about those around them despite differences, he says may help us bridge divides that are harder to conquer on a national scale. Could the answer to our future lie in community events and celebrating our common landmarks and heroes? On this long weekend where we ponder community service and equity, let’s consider that question. Enjoy.
Georgia governor, legislature signal health care isn’t priority as federal aid losses mount
By Margaret Coker
Georgia’s health care economy is facing a crisis due to federal funding cuts, which could result in lower revenue for providers and reduced health coverage for Georgians, while state Democrats are making health care a key issue in the upcoming election.
Survey: Coastal Georgians prioritize environment, healthcare to lawmakers
By Craig Nelson
The Current’s readers have identified environmental protection, healthcare access, and regulation of data centers as their top legislative priorities for the upcoming session of the Georgia General Assembly.
Brunswick community unites for neighborhood cleanup on MLK Day of Service
By Jabari Gibbs and Sarah Harwell
On January 17, A Better Glynn hosted its third annual MLK Day of Service in Brunswick, where volunteers assisted with tasks such as sorting donations and mulching playgrounds to make the area safer for children.
One cure for sour feelings about politics? Community pride
By Sean Richey/Georgia State University
Local patriotism is a powerful, yet often overlooked, factor in civic engagement, as those who love their town are more likely to participate in local politics and trust their local government.
Savannah’s $146M water treatment plant expansion begins amid regional growth
By Orlando Montoya/GPB News
Leaders in Southeast Georgia have broken ground on a $146 million project to expand a surface water treatment plant in Port Wentworth, which will provide up to 90 million gallons of water per day to the region’s 350,000 residents and help protect the Floridan aquifer.
Kemp urges faster tax cuts, rebates, and scholarship boosts in final address
By Maya Homan/Georgia Recorder
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp called for an expedited income tax rate cut, a one-time tax rebate, and funding for a needs-based scholarship program in his annual state of the state address, while also highlighting the rising costs of living across the state.
Kemp’s budget would allocate funds for needs-based college scholarships
By Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder
Gov. Brian Kemp has proposed a one-time investment of $325 million in state funding for the University of Georgia Foundation’s DREAMS Scholarship program, which will provide up to $3,000 to students who meet qualifications, including financial need, part-time work or volunteerism, and completion of a financial literacy course.
Senate bill proposes limiting property tax hikes to inflation, impacting schools
By Mark Niesse/Capitol Beat
The Georgia state Senate has proposed a bill that would limit property tax increases to the rate of inflation, which could save homeowners money but reduce funding for public education and city and county governments.
State officials, leaders honor Martin Luther King Jr. amid continued calls for equality
By Maya Homan/Georgia Recorder
Legislators, religious leaders, and community members gathered at Georgia’s state Capitol to commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday and legacy, with Operation HOPE founder John Hope Bryant calling for increased financial literacy as the civil rights issue of this generation.
The Current GA is part of The Trust Project.
Read our policies.
Support independent, solutions-based investigative journalism without bias, fear or favor on issues affecting Savannah and Coastal Georgia.
You must be logged in to post a comment.