Governmental Affairs GA Rep. Amos Amerson 02-20-09 - Governor finally signs bill to release 2008 property tax money
| 02-20-09 - Governor finally signs bill to release 2008 property tax money |
|
NEWS RELEASE -- February 20, 2009 Governor finally signs bill to release 2008 property tax money Since last August you’ve heard a lot about the Governor withholding 2008 property tax credit money and refusing to reimburse cities, counties and school systems. That has caused concern among taxpayers and taxing entities alike. The taxing entities don’t have the money to send out additional 2008 tax bills any more than you have the extra money to pay. Those reimbursement funds are critical to most taxing entities in today’s troubled economy. Well, that’s history. All of the political maneuvering by the House and Senate so far this Session, and a lot of lobbying by taxpayers such as you, finally convinced the Governor to sign the bill on February 17 and release the money. It was the smart thing for him to do politically. It was the necessary thing to do for troubled taxpayers across Georgia. Thank you, Governor Perdue, for doing the right thing. In the future the HTRG will be considered in January when the amended budgets are reviewed by the General Assembly, rather than being appropriated in the general budget. When HTRG was originated, it was to be paid from "surplus." Since we do not have a surplus in the current amended budget, it is unlikely that our 2009 ad valorem tax bill will contain HTRG offset credits of some $200 per homesteaded property. That equates to almost $20 per month. Local legislation voted on last November will provide ad valorem property tax relief starting in 2009 for senior citizens age 65 and over and the permanently disabled in Lumpkin and Dawson County. It’s not automatic. You must apply for these new Homestead Exemptions at your county tax office no later than April 1, 2009 to qualify for 2009 tax relief. On Wednesday, NGCSU's two top ranked cadets from ROTC Summer Camp were honored by both the House and the Senate. Cadet LTC Earl Porter and Cadet LTC Kevin Bernhardt were accompanied by Col. Tom Palmer, Commandant of Cadets, and Col. Mike Pyott, Professor of Military Science. Of 4,412 ROTC cadets from around the country at summer camp, Porter was ranked NUMBER ONE! NGCSU has the best cadet in the United States. Porter stands alone, at the top, against every other ROTC cadet in the nation. Cadet Porter is majoring in criminal justice and maintains an impressive grade point average of 3.93. Congratulations to Cadets Porter (#1) and Bernhardt (#19); and to NGCSU for their superlative ROTC program. Porter and Bernhardt will be graduating this spring and will be commissioned as Second Lieutenants of Infantry. The Lumpkin County High School Jazz Band and Chorus performed at the Capitol on Friday. The band under the direction of Andy Harwood and the chorus under the direction of Tee Smith woke up that old building. People were hanging over the railings to get a view and to listen to our young people perform. On Thursday, researchers for Georgia Tech testified before the House Science and Technology Committee which I chair. The theme for the day was Nanotechnology. I encourage you watch our hearings each Thursday at 8 a.m., or you can watch them at any time by going to the Legislative web site and following the links. Nanotechnology is a growing field of research with applications ranging from textiles to energy to healthcare. Nano means "billionth" so we are discussing very, very small things. The Nanotechnology Research Center (NRC) at Georgia Tech has the potential to position the State of Georgia as a leader in nanotechnology by fostering innovative research which results in new businesses and job creation. Dr. James Meindl, founding Director of the NRC, and Dr. Greg Book, Assistant Director, provided updates for the committee on the NRC’s progress, its research activities, and the vision for the coming years. Transportation is a very hot topic and one on which I would appreciate your input. Two areas concern me. First, the Governor wants to change how DOT is operated. He wants to strip away much of the power of the State Transportation Board appointed by General Assembly members from 13 geographical districts, and form the State Transportation Authority. Under the proposal, an 11-member board, five appointed by the Governor and three each to be named by the Lt. Governor and the Speaker of the House, would form the Authority. The Governor would appoint the Secretary of Transportation, the top administrator for the new Authority the same way he now appoints the DOT Commissioner. Second, the Lt. Governor and a number of legislators want to have a state Special Purpose Sales Tax dedicated to transportation. This would be in addition to the motor fuel tax we already have, and it would be on everything, not just fuel. You might as well say the state sales tax would go from 4 cents to 5 cents, and with our local 3 cents, the total sales tax would be 8 cents. Transportation reform, along with capping ad valorem property taxes, may be the two toughest nuts to crack during the remainder of the current Session. I’ll continue to update you on the particulars of both of these issues. Let me know what you think. You can meet with me during one of my Saturday morning breakfasts with constituents. My February 28 and March 7 breakfasts will be at 8 a.m. at the Wagon Wheel Restaurant in Dahlonega. During the Session I can be reached at 401 Capitol, Atlanta, Georgia 30334; 404/657-8534; fax 404/463-2044; e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Or you can contact Gerald Lewy, my Communications Director, at 706/344-7788. He’ll know how to get your message to me. You can also go to my website www.amosamerson.com to get further information and my committee schedule. Remember, the secret of good government is a well-informed electorate.
for more information contact: |
Welcome New Members!
Upcoming Events
View Full Calendar
 |
 |
 |