Bottoms focuses campaign on affordability, calls for data center pause

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Keisha Lance Bottoms, the former mayor of Atlanta, is focusing her campaign on affordability.

“I grew up in a loving family, where life wasn’t always easy,” Bottoms said. “But I was always reminded that with faith and hard work, all things are possible. As a wife and mother of four, I still believe that and I still believe Georgia’s best days are ahead.”

Tax and grocery relief plans

Bottoms has introduced plans she says will put money back into people’s pockets.

“I’ve introduced plans that will put some money back into people’s pockets, that 2.5% tax on auto and property home owners insurance, making sure that gets back to the pockets of Georgians,” Bottoms said. “And then the grocery tax relief plan that I have introduced would give local governments the opportunity to spend or completely eliminate that grocery tax.”

Pause on data centers

Bottoms is also calling for a pause on new data centers in the state.

“Georgia is currently No. 1 in the country for data centers,” Bottoms said. “We need to pause. We need consumers like you. We need experts in this field to sit around the table and give us guidance as to how the state of Georgia should move forward.”

Housing, health care and Medicaid expansion

Her campaign has proposed making housing more affordable, guaranteeing pre-K for 4-year-olds, lowering health care and prescription drug costs and expanding Medicaid.

“So I want to expand Medicaid. We’ve had nine rural hospitals close, we’ve had chemotherapy units, ICU, labor and delivery units close across the state,” Bottoms said. “I want to expand Medicaid, that’s one, and also get rid of this Georgia Pathways program that is costing Georgians millions upon millions of dollars, and it has been an epic failure in the state, to make it easier for people to obtain health care on the health care exchange.”

Message to voters

Bottoms says she wants to lead Georgia by giving power back to the people and hopes they get out and vote.

“It is important that people get past the noise and focus on the main thing, and the main thing right now is electing a governor who has a clear vision for this state and make lives better in Georgia, and I hope people will see that in me,” Bottoms said.