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



March 19, 2008



Seven legislative days remain. The General Assembly is currently scheduled to

meet tomorrow for day 34 and then adjourn until next Thursday, March 27 for day

35.





Under the Gold Dome



The Senate Finance Committee today passed Lt. Governor Casey Cagle's

(R-Gainesville) tax reform plan which he announced yesterday. Cagle's plan

differs significantly from the tax reform plan that passed the House last week.

The Lt. Governor's plan would:



1) reduce all income tax rates by 10% of five years;

2) tie state government spending to a formula based on combination of

population growth and the rate of inflation;

3) eliminate the state's ? mil property tax; and

4) would tie local property assessments, both residential and non-residential,

to a governmental inflation index.



The language in HB 1246, Property Tax Reform Act that passed the House last

week was substituted by the Senate Finance Committee today and now contains the

language that imposes the property assessment cap and the state spending

limitations. The committee then amended HB 1244 to include the reduction in

the state's income tax rates. The Senate has already passed legislation

eliminating the state's ? mil property tax.



Governor Perdue is on record as being opposed to the House tax reform plan. In

a news conference today he indicated that he opposes the Senate plan as well.

"To talk about tax cuts as if we're a federal government that can run a deficit

befuddles me," he said. "It is politics. It's trying to trump one another. They

are here trying to figure out how to get elected and I am sitting here trying

to figure out how we balance this budget. It's sad to watch and I hope cooler

heads prevail."



GMA generally supports the Senate tax reform plan but has concerns about

property assessments caps, particularly on non-residential property. Staff

contact: Gwin Hall, ghall@gmanet.com.

HB 1029, State Transportation Infrastructure Bank by Rep. John Lunsford

(R-McDonough) passed the Senate on March 18 and now awaits House approval of

the Senate changes to the bill. GMA supports this bill. Staff contact: Tom

Gehl, tgehl@gmanet.com.



http://www.legtracking.gmanet.com/BillDetail/Default.aspx?RDBTN=HB1029



HB 1216, Regional Development Centers by Rep. Ron Stephens (R-Savannah) passed

the Senate State & Local Operations Committee on March 18 and is now pending in

the Senate Rules Committee. GMA is neutral on this bill. Staff contact: Lamar

Norton, lnorton@gmanet.com.



http://www.legtracking.gmanet.com/BillDetail/Default.aspx?RDBTN=HB1216



HB 1281, Outdoor Water Use, EPD Approval for Local Restrictions or Exemptions

by Rep. Terry England (R-Auburn) is scheduled to be heard by the Senate

Agriculture & Consumer Affairs Committee on Thursday, March 20. GMA is

evaluating this bill. Staff contact: Tom Gehl, tgehl@gmanet.com.

http://www.legtracking.gmanet.com/BillDetail/Default.aspx?RDBTN=HB1281



HB 1235, Fleet Vehicles: Cities Liable for Discretionary Acts by Rep. Austin

Scott (R-Tifton) is scheduled to be heard in the Senate Insurance & Labor

Committee today. As currently written, this bill would remove sovereign

immunity for law enforcement officers that have to make judgment calls about

whether fleet vehicles are covered by fleet insurance policies or not. GMA

opposes this bill. Staff contact: Ted Baggett, tbaggett@gmanet.com.

http://www.legtracking.gmanet.com/BillDetail/Default.aspx?RDBTN=HB1235



State Budget

The House and Senate leadership have reached agreement on the supplemental FY08

budget and will ask for a floor vote tomorrow. Also, the House plans to adopt

the FY09 budget tomorrow as well.



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