The Georgia Federal/Military Retiree Coalition began as a lobbying group in the early 1980's, when its two co-founders, Wm "Bill" Hathaway, Georgia National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (GNARFE)* Legislative Director and Colonel John Callaway, Georgia, Georgia Military Retired Officers Association of America (GMOAA)* Legislative Counsel met as they were both making presentations on Income Tax Relief for retirees before the State House Ways & Means Committee. They exchanged glances and later discussed the similarity of their legislative efforts. With much discussion between these two legislative advocates, they formed a retiree volunteer lobbying group to represent the common interest goals of 110,000 federal and military retirees within the state.

In 1983, the lobbying group was successful in obtaining the first $2,000 Georgia Income Tax Exemption for all Georgians age 62 and older or disabled.

Through the group’s ongoing efforts, the exemption was raised to $4,000 in 1986. This remained in effect until 1989 when the group’s efforts again materialized through a Special Session, following the Davis v Michigan Tax Reform case to raise the amount to $8,000 and to $10,000 in 1990. Because the exemption affected state retirees, support was gathered from AARP, the Council on Aging and other related retiree groups.

In 1987, it became evident that the group could no longer function as a lobbying entity, but needed to be professionalized; therefore, the Georgia Federal/Military Retiree Coalition was born. The first president, William “Bill” Hathaway, immediately appointed a select committee to develop the Coalition By-Laws and form structure.

Again, in 1994, the Coalition was successful in obtaining an additional $2,000 in State Income Tax exemption, for a total of $12, 000 for all Georgians age 62 and older, or disabled. The total individual savings from the exemption then computed to $720 per individual and a spouse with retirement income added to the exemption on a joint return.

The Coalition has worked in many areas on both the state and national arenas. We were successful in leading the opposition that defeated the Catastrophic Medical Coverage bill. We were the lead organization in the State Tax Refund suit and worked with the Georgia Council on Aging in obtaining additional benefits and improvements in Nursing Home Care and Alzheimer’s Care.

Through the efforts of the Coalition, Governor Zell Miller signed into law the Tax Refund Bill (GA HR 90) on February 1, 1995. Further, with a strong endorsement of the Coalition, a follow-up bill (GA HR 3) was passed by the Legislature which covers our fellow members who had not filed Amended Tax Returns for any of the years 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1988. With the passage of these two bills, the Coalition has touched the lives of all federal and military retirees who paid taxes to the State of Georgia during the period 1985-1988.

The Coalition has continued to work for state tax exemptions and now, due to the efforts of the Coalition, exemptions were raised to $15,000 in 2003; $25,000 in 2006; $30,000 in 2007 and $35,000 in 2008. Further, House Bill 1055 was passed in 2010 to raise the exemption to $65,000 in 2012; $100,000 in 2013; $150,000 in 2014; $200,000 in 2015 and to exclude all retirement income for qualified persons in 2016.

To see other successful endeavors of the Georgia Federal/Military Retiree Coalition, click on GFMRC Record of Accomplishments.