SUMMARY: LC 34 4837

This is a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow a second ESPLOST if a LOST in the city/county was discontinued.  Note HB 1005 addresses the discontinuance 

ESPLOST 2 would be done by resolution just as the current ESPLOST is and would be for 1% but would be solely for reduction of the millage rate.

The 20 mill cap and any millage rate limitation now or hereafter applicable to a school system shall be reduced every taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 2017, by a millage rate that would produce an amount of revenue equal to the proceeds of the sales tax received in the preceding year.

Authorizes school systems to contract or otherwise provide for the collection and administration of the tax

Distribution of the funds would be by ratio of the population in each school system to the total population of a county or upon such other formula as may be determined by local law

No general law is required to enact this provision if passed, but local law is authorized to control the subject matter and to further define and implement the provisions.  Local law shall trump general law if conflicting on this matter. 

The ballot question in November 2016 would be:

Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to allow boards of education, subject to a referendum, to impose, levy, and collect a 1 percent sales and use tax for educational purposes and to adjust millage rate limitations upon and the millage rates levied by school systems to take into account the proceeds received from the sales and use tax by each school system the preceding year? 

EFFECTIVE DATE:

January 1, 2017 if passed by 2/3 of each chamber and approved by a majority of the voters in November 2016