Legislative Alert, No. 11
Legislative Alert - March 28, 2008
March 28, 2008
Joint City & County Tax Districts
Senate Resolution 845, Sen. Jeff Mullis (R-Chickamauga)
GMA Position: Evaluating
Contact: Tom Gehl, tgehl@gmanet.com, (678) 686-6247
Status: Passed the House on March 27. If the Senate doesn?t agree to the House
version of the bill, a House/Senate conference committee will be appointed to
work out the differences between the two versions of the bill.
As passed by the House, this proposed Constitutional Amendment would give
Regional Development Centers (RDCs) the authority to levy up to a 1 percent
sales tax for transportation needs in their region. It also requires that a
resolution be adopted by two publicly elected members (cities and counties)
within each county in each RDC in order to place the tax on the ballot in a
region. If the tax is approved by voters, 100% of the funds collected would
remain in the region.
SR 845 also does the following:
Allows a county to ?opt-out? before the vote is taken if they do not like the
list of projects;
Exempts off-road, farm, locomotive, aircraft and watercraft fuel from the tax;
and
Earmarks the fourth penny of the current state sales tax on fuel for DOT
projects; currently only the first three pennies are dedicated for
transportation projects.
GMA continues to work with the leadership and other stakeholders to ensure
meaningful municipal participation in each region.
Tax Reform
House Resolution 1246
GMA Position: Support
Contact: Gwin Hall, ghall@gmanet.com, (678) 686-6212
Status: Passed the Senate on March 28. If the House doesn?t agree to the Senate
version of this bill, a House/Senate conference committee will be appointed to
work out the differences between the two versions of the bill.
As passed by the Senate, HR 1246 does the following:
Caps all property assessment increases, both residential and non-residential,
to the rate of government inflation; and
Eliminates the state 1/4 mil property tax.
While GMA is supportive of the Senate?s tax reform plan, we do have concerns
about the impact of nonresidential assessment caps on economic development.
Zoning Decisions: Frozen & Transferable
House Bill 1283, Rep. David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge)
GMA Position: Oppose
Contact: Tom Gehl, tgehl@gmanet.com, (678) 686-6247
Status: Passed the Senate Judiciary Committee and is now pending in the Senate
Rules Committee.
This bill would in effect prevent cities and counties from ever changing zoning
when a prior owner of the property, not the current owner, has made substantial
expenditures on the property. HB 1283 would basically grant vested rights to
develop property with a prior zoning decision (regardless of how long ago that
zoning was granted) and allow that zoning to go with the sale of the property
in perpetuity. The primary purpose of the bill is to make railroad property
immune from claims of adverse possession.
Regional Development Centers
House Bill 1216, Rep. Ron Stephens (R-Savannah)
GMA Position: Neutral
Contact: Lamar Norton, lnorton@gmanet.com, (678) 686-6273
Status: Passed the House and Senate and will now be sent to the Governor.
Outdoor Water Use: EPD Approval of Local Restrictions or Exemptions
House Bill 1281, Rep. Terry England (R-Auburn)
GMA Position: Evaluating
Contact: Tom Gehl, tgehl@gmanet.com, (678) 686-6247
Status: Passed the Senate Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee and is now
pending in the Senate Rules Committee.
Income Tax Credit for Rehabilitated Historic Property
House Bill 851, Rep. Allen Peake (R-Macon)
GMA Position: Support
Contact: Marcia Rubensohn, mrubensohn@gmanet.com, (678) 686-6248
Status: Passed the Senate Finance Committee and is now pending in the Senate
Rules Committee.
Contract Continuance Guarantee for Private Waste Haulers
Senate Bill 154, Sen. Jack Murphy (R-Cumming)
GMA Position: Oppose
Contact: Tom Gehl, tgehl@gmanet.com, (678) 686-6247
Status: Pending in the House Rules Committee.
Elections: Restrictions on Local Referenda
House Bill 296, Rep. Jeff May (R-Monroe)
GMA Position: Neutral
Contact: Gwin Hall, ghall@gmanet.com, (678) 686-6212
Status: Passed both the House and the Senate and will now be sent to the
Governor.
Recreation Systems Tax
House Bill 1024, Rep. Roger Williams (R-Dalton)
GMA Position: Support
Contact: Gwin Hall, ghall@gmanet.com, (678) 686-6212
Status: Passed the Senate Finance Committee and is now pending in the Senate
Rules Committee.
Hotel-Motel Tax
House Bill 1168, Rep. Larry O?Neal (R- Bonaire)
GMA Position: Support
Contact: Gwin Hall, ghall@gmanet.com, (678) 686-6212
Status: Passed the Senate Finance Committee and is now pending in the Senate
Rules Committee.
Job Tax Credits in Less Developed Areas
House Bill 1273, Rep. Barry Fleming (R-Harlem)
GMA Position: Support
Contact: Gwin Hall, ghall@gmanet.com, (678) 686-6212
Status: Passed the Senate Finance Committee and is now pending in the Senate
Rules Committee.
Prohibition of Retroactive Permits
House Bill 975, Rep. Mark Burkhalter (R-Johns Creek)
GMA Position: Neutral
Contact: Ted Baggett, tbaggett@gmanet.com, (678) 686-6210
Status: Passed the Senate State & Local Governmental Operations Committee and
is now pending in the Senate Rules Committee.
Telecommunications Franchising
Senate Bill 408, Sen. David Shafer (R-Duluth)
GMA Position: Evaluating
Contact: Marcia Rubensohn, mrubensohn@gmanet.com, (678) 686-6248
Status: Passed the House Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications Committee and
is now pending in the House Rules Committee.
Motor Vehicle Accidents: Limitation of Recovery Costs
Senate Bill 348, Sen. Ralph Hudgins (R-Hull)
GMA Position: Oppose
Contact: Contact: Marcia Rubensohn, mrubensohn@gmanet.com, (678) 686-6248
Status: Scheduled to be heard on the House floor on Monday, March 31.
? 1997 - 2008 Georgia Municipal Association
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