Columbus, Georgia

Georgia's First Consolidated Government

Post Office Box 1340
Columbus, Georgia, 31902-1340
(706) 653-4013
fax (706) 653-4016

Council Members

GMA Session Notes



February 18, 2008



The General Assembly is in recess today and will reconvene on Tuesday.

Twenty-two legislative days remain.





Tax Plan Takes Center Stage



Speaker Glenn Richardson took center stage last week when he testified for over

2 ? hours during a House Ways & Means Committee subcommittee meeting on the

latest version of his tax reform legislation.



His legislation, HR 1246 and HB 979, is collectively known as the "Property Tax

Reform Amendment." These two bills, one a proposed Constitutional Amendment

and the other the enabling legislation, are intended to provide a homestead tax

relief grant for education property taxes, a similar credit against all

property taxes on motor vehicles owned by individuals and a repeal of the state

property tax.



Funding for these property tax credits would come from expanding the state

sales tax on groceries, lottery tickets, and 174 consumer services. A sales tax

would not be imposed on education, child care, health care or business to

business services or on construction of new residential property.



The Speaker has also suggested that SR 796, property assessment cap legislation

by Sen. Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock) that is now pending in the House Ways & Means

Committee, would be amended in the House to either include a millage rate cap

or a property tax revenue cap on local governments.



The Speaker made it very clear during his testimony last week that he wants the

subcommittee to pass the legislation this Wednesday so the full Ways & Means

Committee can pass it on Thursday. He then wants the full House to vote on it

early next week.



The Speaker's schedule for passage of this legislation is fast and furious and

allows little time for House members to fully understand or appreciate the

ramifications of the proposed legislation. It should also be noted that no

public input is being allowed on HR 1246 and HB 979.



GMA is opposed to the Speaker's tax reform legislation and would oppose any

efforts to amend SR 796 to include millage rate caps or property tax revenue

caps on Georgia's cities, counties and schools. While not perfect, the current

tax system works with Georgia's current level of state and local taxation

continuing to be an important factor in the state's continued growth. And just

as importantly, the current system keeps funding decisions local; the Speaker's

proposal is the first step in taking local control away.



GMA urges city officials to contact their House members, both Republican and

Democrat, and ask them to vote against HR 1246 and HB 979. Let them know that

you and city officials across the state want a comprehensive study of our state

and local revenue structure before serious damage is done by passing ill

conceived legislation that takes away local control and relies too heavily on

one revenue source.



After you contact your House members, please email Lamar Norton at

lnorton@gmanet.com to let him know who you spoke with and their response to you.



For more detailed information on HR 1246, HB 979 and SR 796, please follow the

links below:





http://www.legtracking.gmanet.com/BillDetail/Default.aspx?RDBTN=HR1246





http://www.legtracking.gmanet.com/BillDetail/Default.aspx?RDBTN=HB979





http://www.legtracking.gmanet.com/BillDetail/Default.aspx?RDBTN=SR796



You can find contact information for your House and Senate members on the GMA

web site:





http://www.gmanet.com/FindLegislator.aspx

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