The first section of the bill dealing with the transfer of property between newly created cities and counties was amended to include a two-year sunset.  This section creates procedures for newly formed qualified municipalities to purchase county properties used as police stations, fire stations, cultural property, or vacant properties within the boundaries of the municipality. It further allows newly formed municipalities that are a part of special county districts to elect to continue receiving water and sewer, sanitation, and fire service from the county at the fee level charged to residents of unincorporated parts of the county. It allows provides new procedures for the allocation of bond proceeds for county properties now located within the boundaries of the newly created municipality.  The second section of the bill fixes a judicial decision that prevented DeKalb County from issuing any bonds for economic development purposes.

This bill amends provisions relating to the Georgia Firefighters’ Pension Fund to allow investment of assets in alternative investments, private placements, and other private investments. No more than five percent of the fund’s assets may be invested in alternative investments. The bill also protects the fund’s proprietary information from public scrutiny for a two year period.

This bill eliminates sales tax and ad valorem taxes on vehicles and replaces these revenues with a vehicle transfer tax collected at the time a vehicle is titled. A substitute bill has been drafted that contains many of the changes ACCG has requested. However, while the revenue estimates in the near term are positive for some counties, they are negative for others. To view the substitute bill, click here. 

This bill creates a 50% property tax exemption on all heavy-duty equipment vehicles for 2010.

Any county failing to contract for their annual audit within 180 days of the end of their fiscal year may be subject to an audit conducted on behalf of the State Auditor. Local sales tax money would be withheld to pay for the audit and a penalty equal to 50% of the cost of the audit would be imposed.

This bill revises portions of the hotel motel excise tax regarding the Georgia Dome.

Current law limits the homestead exemption for educational purposes to individuals over the age of 62 when the total income of each individual living on the property is less than $10,000.  This bill would change the requirement that the total net income of the property owner and spouse cannot exceed $10,000.

This bill would change the creditable service requirements for the Peace Officers' Annuity and Benefit Fund.

Eliminates the statute authorizing local income tax.  This statute has never been used.

This bill establishes a binding arbitration dispute resolution process for counties and cities that cannot reach agreement on a Local Option Sales Tax Distribution Certificate.  Instead of the tax terminating upon a failure of the county and its cities to reach an agreement, the new distribution certificate will be decided by an arbitrator choosing one of the proposals submitted by the county or the cities.  To hold a referendum to terminate the tax will now require authorization of the county and the cities making up at least 50% of the municipal population.

This bill makes it easier for a property owner to declare his property contiguous for purposes of meeting the 200 acre minimum required to place forestland in a conservation use covenant. It also protects the original covenant owner from a breach that occurs on property that has been sold.

Under current law, the Revenue Commissioner can withhold approval of a county tax digest if the percentage of properties that have filed appeals or arbitration is 3% (or 5% in a revaluation year). This bill removes this provision. The county commission and the school board would set their millage rates and submit the digest when they are comfortable with the amount of properties in appeal.

This bill designates the current freeport tax exemption as a "level one freeport exemption" and authorizes a county to city call for a referendum to approve the creation of a new "level two freeport exemption". The level two freeport exemption could include any business inventory not included in level one.

This bill authorizes counties collecting business occupation taxes to ask for the business sales tax identification number if the business is required to have one. The county would send this information electronically to the Department of Revenue to verify that the business is paying state and local sales taxes.

This bill would provide that watercraft in a dealer's inventory is not required to be returned for ad valorem taxation from January 1, 2011 until December 31, 2013.  

Under current law, the board of tax assessors is only required to provide property owners a notice of their assessment if the assessment changes. This bill would require that notice of the assessment be sent out annually. The notice must also contain an estimate of the current year's taxes. The property owner would have 45 days, instead of 30 days, to file a notice of an appeal. HB 1139 would also remove the requirement that the county post a notice at the courthouse door when the assessment notice is returned.

This bill would make changes to the Georgia Firefighters' Pension Fund.

HB 1186, dependent upon a statewide referendum, would exempt property for a public-private transportation project (i.e., property that is owned or leased by the state or governmental entity and is developed, operated or held by a private partner) from ad valorem taxation.  It also says that these public private transportation initiatives would not be considered a “special franchise.” 

Under current law, when a document is filed in the superior court clerk's office placing a lien on a piece of property that it is in more than one county, the intangible tax is paid to the county where the lien is first filed.  HB 1191 would require that the intangible tax be prorated among the counties in which the property lies.

Under current law, when a piece of property located in more than one county is sold, the real estate transfer tax is paid to the county where the deed is first filed. HB 1192 would require that the tax be prorated between the counties.