Senate Passes Transportation Funding Bill; House Introduces its Version

   SR 44 by Senator Jeff Mullis would allow adjacent counties to band together to levy a penny tax for projects in the region. This resolution and its enabling legislation (SB 39) passed the Senate Tuesday. The Senate measure would ask statewide voters if regions should be given the option of placing a one cent tax on the ballot in counties that would impose the tax. If statewide voters amend the State Constitution to that effect, each requesting region would then place the tax on the ballot of each county involved.
   House Transportation Committee Chairman Vance Smith filed legislation Monday proposing to raise transportation funds through a statewide one-cent increase in the sales tax. House Bill 277 includes a comprehensive list of transportation improvements for voters to consider.
   The House version would arguably raise more funds (approximately $25 billion over ten years) than the Senate’s regional approach and would raise the revenue sooner as it only requires one statewide vote. However, Senate leaders remain concerned that the direct tax question that would be put to voters statewide would fail as it would be billed as the largest tax increase in state history. The Senate's regional TSPLOST (Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) would only appear in select counties where the need is the greatest and may have a better chance of passage by voters.

House Passes Law to Preserve State Homeowner Property Tax Credit in Good Budget Years

  The House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved a bill by Rep. Larry O’Neal, Chair of Ways & Means, which will preserve in law the Homeowner Property Tax Credit to local government. The average $200-300 credit on local property tax bills thus far has not been an entitlement to local governments. HB 143 will not guarantee the credit, but it does direct the General Assembly to fund the credit when revenue estimates in a given fiscal year exceed the amount expended on the credits in the preceding year. If revenues do not reach that threshold, local government may have to appropriate the funds or increase property tax bills by the amount of the credit. Despite the budget shortfall in this fiscal year, legislative leaders in both the House and Senate are pledging to fund the $400+ million in credits.

Property Tax Assessment Cap Passes Committee and Awaits House Floor Vote

   Residential and non-residential property tax assessments would be capped at 3% and 4% respectively under legislation soon to be debated on the House floor. Homestead and commercial properties would only be reassessed if sold, transferred, rezoned or improved under HR 1. The Resolution, which would amend the State Constitution, would have to pass each Chamber by a super majority (two-thirds vote) and then would go before voters. Similar legislation has passed the Senate in recent years. The measure could be heard on the House floor as early as this week.

Senate Leader Introduces Education Voucher Bill

   Senator Eric Johnson, the former Pro Tem and a candidate for Lieutenant Governor, introduced Senate Bill 90 Monday. The legislation would allow parents to use approximately $5,000 in existing education dollars already appropriated per pupil to offset tuition for an alternative education.

Governor Perdue Introduces Education Measures

   Governor Sonny Perdue announced today the introduction of several education initiatives sponsored by his Senate and House Floor leaders. SB 84 would improve school board governance. Pay for performance measures for principals and teachers are found in SB 93 and HB 282. Incentives for growing the state’s math and science teachers are found in HB 280 and some more local control would be given under HB 278. The text of the bills will be available Wednesday at www.legis.state.ga.us.


Track business legislation by category through the GA Chamber: http://www.gachamber.com/Track-Business-Legislation.65.0.html