Week Three of General Assembly:
Progress Made on Water, Education, Transportation and Taxes.

The General Assembly is taking action on several measures included in the Cobb Chamber’s legislative priorities.

Water

• A bill to streamline reservoir permitting will soon reach the Senate Floor. SB 342 fast tracks applications by local governments and provides state funds for the expansion or creation of reservoirs.

• The General Assembly passed the statewide water management plan, which provides for the gathering of data to determine how much water is available in Georgia’s lakes, rivers, and aquifers and forecasts how much will be needed to meet future needs. The plan would create water planning districts to assist in allocating the water.
• This past Friday, Environmental Protection Division Director Carol Couch delivered to Governor Sonny Perdue her recommendations on further changes to outdoor watering restrictions related to private and commercial outdoor water use.

Education 

• On Thursday the House passed HB 881, which makes it easier for schools to receive charter status and receive funding. If a charter school is having difficulty gaining approval from a local school board, they may apply through a new Georgia Charter Schools Commission who will help facilitate funding at all levels, including the same local school board to which they made the initial application.

 Transportation 

• A committee established to recommend legislation to provide for more sources of revenue for transportation funding has recommended that two proposals move forward for the General Assembly to consider. The Joint Study Committee on Transportation Funding this week recommended that both the regional sales tax initiative and the statewide sales tax be advanced.

Governor’s Proposed Budget Includes Kennesaw State University (KSU) and Southern Polytechnic State University (SPSU) Funding 

The Governor’s proposed budget sent to the House of Representatives includes: 

• $33.3 million for an Engineering Technology Center at SPSU. The Center would house electrical and computer engineering, technology, mechanical engineering technology and mechatronics engineering. 

• $42.5 million for the design and construction of the Health Sciences Building at KSU.

• $93 million for construction and equipment for technical schools under the Department of Technical and Adult Education. At this time it is unknown if Chattahoochee Technical College or North Metro Technical College will benefit.

Veto Overrides 

• The Senate thus far has only taken action on one of the 12 bills that were vetoed by the Governor and overridden by the House. By a vote of 47 to seven, the Senate agreed with the House to override HB 529 related to the House and Senate Budget offices. 

Taxes

• Representative Jim Cole will be introducing the Governor’s bill to eliminate the state’s .25 mill ad valorem property tax assessed through county tax bills. No action has been taken as of yet on the Speaker’s GREAT Plan.

• State Senator Chip Rogers has filed his version of property tax reform and it reportedly has the backing of Lieutenant Governor Cagle. Senate Resolution 796 would amend the state constitution to freeze property values at their 2007 values yet allow for moderate increases of no more than 2% a year for residential properties and 3% for non-residential properties unless it is improved or sold, in which case those increased values would be added to the 2007 base. School systems could increase mileage rates only after voter approval and that of the local delegation.  Local jurisdictions can increase assessments more than the respective 2% and 3% increases provided a fixed amount is established along with a uniform process for assessment and has received the approval of a majority of voters and the local delegation.