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 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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