Put more money in people’s pockets.

Georgia’s minimum wage hasn’t changed since 1997. In fact, in the Georgia code, the minimum wage is $5.15 an hour. No one can afford to live off that little anywhere in Georgia. Additionally, Republicans passed bills banning cities and counties from raising their local minimum wage to meet skyrocketing costs.

As Governor, Ruwa will raise the minimum wage to at least $15 an hour and repeal state laws that ban cities and counties from setting their own minimum wage. This will give cities and counties the tools needed to meet specific local needs around the skyrocketing cost of living.

Lower housing costs for all.

Homes should belong to Georgians, not corporate landlords. Instead, communities around Georgia have some of the highest rates of corporate home ownership in the country. This has made buying a home almost impossible for young families and significantly increases rent around the state. Instead of reversing the trend, Republicans passed a tax break for corporations owning homes, making the problem worse. Republicans also passed laws banning cities and counties from enacting policies that would fix these issues.

As a State Legislator, Ruwa introduced legislation to end these tax breaks. As Governor, Ruwa would continue the work to end these tax breaks, increase tenant protections, and repeal state level laws that have tied the hands of local officials from helping their constituents.

Expand healthcare access across the state.

Communities around Georgia are literally dying. 94 out of 159 counties report more deaths than births. Georgia ranks almost last on healthcare, even though Georgians pay the most in healthcare costs. And, since 2013, 18 hospitals have closed in Georgia. These policy failures risk lives, resulting in one of the worst maternal mortality rates in the country, even though almost 90% of those deaths are preventable. The facts matter, and one of the main reasons for these deadly consequences is Republicans’ refusal to expand Medicaid, and their defunding of healthcare.

As Governor, Ruwa will expand Medicaid, and use 10% of the surplus to invest in a first-of-its-kind in the Southeast cancer research hub. Other states who have done similar investments saw a $3 to $10 return on investment for every $1 spent. This would bring jobs for builders and CDC experts targeted by the Trump administration, and generate revenue to reopen hospitals and clinics around the state.

Improve education outcomes.

In the 2023 budget, Democrats negotiated funding for free breakfast and lunch for kids. The Governor line item vetoed the bill citing fiscal conservatism. But that’s not fiscal conservatism. That’s cruelty, especially when it costs 1/2 of one tax break for millionaires to give every kid in this state free breakfast and lunch. In 2024 and 2025, Democrats successfully negotiated funding in the budget for free breakfast and lunch, but until legislation passes, the program remains at risk of a line item veto.

As Governor, Ruwa will support funding to feed hungry kids and include legislation on her day one legislative agenda to enshrine the program into law.

Implement regulations on data centers and lower utility rates.

Georgia has one of the highest concentrations of data centers in the country, with even more expected. In fact, even though Georgians flipped two PSC races in 2025, the old PSC board pushed through a last minute plan that guarantees utility companies a profit for building infrastructure to accommodate these data centers as our rates go up. Data centers are also using up valuable water, permanently changing our landscape, and causing infrastructure damage to people’s homes. As a State Legislator, Ruwa will back a data center moratorium until 2027 so voters can decide on the majority of the PSC members and give municipal and county level officials time to draft regulations necessary to catch up to these projects.

As Governor, Ruwa will put people over corporations and empower local communities across our state by enforcing the moratorium, protecting our water, and protecting people’s homes from destructive projects.

Increase economic mobility for Georgia families.

Legacy brick and mortar shops are closing at an accelerating pace as a result of Georgia Republicans prioritizing large corporations over our local communities. But local businesses not only create jobs, they keep their money here, instead of sending profits to out-of-state shareholders. Additionally, Republicans prioritize their corporate and well-connected friends for government contracts that could be done by local Georgia businesses.

As Governor, Ruwa will work to increase access to government contracts for locally-owned small businesses by streamlining the contract process and increasing transparency. Additionally, Ruwa will use 1% of the surplus for a seed fund for first time small business owners.