GMA Legislative Alert, No. 9
Legislative Alert
Legislative Alert - March 14, 2008
March 14, 2008
Property Tax Reform Act
House Resolution 1246, Speaker Glenn Richardson (R-Hiram)
GMA Position: Oppose
Contact: Gwin Hall, ghall@gmanet.com, (678) 686-6212
Status: Passed the House on March 11 and is now pending in the Senate Finance
Committee.
This proposed Constitutional amendment, as currently written, would do the
following if passed by Georgia voters in November:
Eliminates the state?s ? mil property tax, but preserves it with respect to
intangible taxes (such as the transfer tax);?
Allows the General Assembly, by general law, to eliminate the car tag tax for
personal vehicles with half the tax being eliminated in July 2009 and the
entire tax being eliminated in July 2010;?
Requires the General Assembly to provide for grants to cities, counties and
schools to offset the loss of car tag tax revenues. These grants:
are not guaranteed;
are not required to cover 100% of the lost revenue; and?
could be subject to limitations imposed by lawmakers.
Puts in place a property tax assessment cap at 2% for residential property and
3% for nonresidential property.
There is not a property tax revenue cap in HR 1246.
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 Transportation Committee and is now pending in the
House Rules Committee.
As currently written, 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.
SR 845 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, 100% of the funds
collected would remain in the region. There is no ?opt-out? provision in the
resolution that would allow a county to not implement the tax if the tax wasn?t
approved in the county.
GMA continues to work with the Senate and House leadership as this resolution
moves through the legislative process.
Municipal Elections: Immediate Transmittal of Results
House Bill 1098, Rep. Bobby Reese (R-Sugar Hill)
GMA Position: Neutral
Contact: Lamar Norton, lnorton@gmanet.com, (678) 686-6273
Status: Pending in the Senate Special Judiciary Committee.
This bill requires that the results of all municipal elections have to be
immediately transmitted to the Secretary of State?s office.
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 the Senate. The House will have to agree to the Senate changes
before this bill can be sent to the Governor.
This bill limits special elections for ballot questions in even numbered years
to the date of the presidential preference primary (if there is one), the
general primary and the general election. In odd numbered years the special
election is limited to March and November election dates.
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 on March 11 and is now pending in the Senate State &
Local Government Operations Committee.
This bill changes RDC boundaries, gives RDC new duties and powers and provides
that RDCs can become providers of governmental services.
City Employment Policies Rewarding Language Skills: Prohibition
Senate Bill 335, Sen. John Douglas (R-Social Circle)
GMA Position: Oppose
Contact: Ted Baggett, tbaggett@gmanet.com, (678) 686-6210
Status: Pending in the Senate Public Safety Committee. This bill did not move
from the Senate to the House by day 30, crossover day, and cannot be considered
by the House at this point. The language in this bill, however, could be
amended on a bill that is still active.
Red Light Cameras
House Bill 77, Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Cassville)
GMA Position: Oppose
Contact: Ted Baggett, tbaggett@gmanet.com, (678) 686-6210
Status: Tabled by the Senate on March 12. It will likely come back to the
Senate floor.
Firearms in Motor Vehicles and Employer Parking Lots
House Bill 89, Rep. Tim Bearden (R-Villa Rica)
GMA Position: Oppose
Contact: Ted Baggett, tbaggett@gmanet.com, (678) 686-6210
Status: Passed the Senate with changes. A conference committee has been
assigned to work out the differences between the House and Senate versions of
the bill.
Outdoor Advertising Sign Relocation & Reconstruction
House Bill 1318, Rep. Matt Dollar (R-Marietta)
GMA Position: Oppose
Contact: Tom Gehl, tgehl@gmanet.com, (678) 686-6247
Status: was defeated on the House floor on March 11.
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: Pending in the Senate Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee.
City of Dunwoody: Create
Senate Bill 82, Sen. Daniel Weber (R-Dunwoody)
GMA Position: Neutral
Contact: Susan Moore, smoore@gmanet.com, (678) 686-6211
Status: Pending in the House Rules Committee.
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