Georgia Constitutional Amendments Week
Unbeknownst to many voters, particularly the 12 percent of registered voters who have already cast their ballot here in the Peach State, the fate of three constitutional amendments will be decided in the polling booth come Nov. 4. The proposed amendments have been approved by at least two-thirds of the General Assembly. We will present and provide analysis of each amendment over the next three days.
So without further adieu, let us take a look at Amendment I.
Amendment I
To encourage the preservation of Georgia’s forests through a conservation use property tax reduction program.
“Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to provide that the General Assembly by general law shall encourage the preservation, conservation, and protection of the state’s forests through the special assessment and taxation of certain forest lands and assistance grants to local government?”
The question may be clear enough, and a bit of additional information will be provided on the ballot, but being an informed voter remains a challenge without knowing some basic facts.
If approved, Amendment I will set a new property tax assessment for forest land preserved for conservation uses. The state of Georgia has more acres of forest land than any other state (more than 23 million acres, which covers some two-thirds of the state). Approximately 90 percent of this land is privately owned. Georgia’s forest industry contributes $25 billion annually to the state economy, and lawmakers, supported by most environmental organizations, want to keep forest land out of the hands of developers. Passage of the amendment would allow landowners the option of taking part in the tax reduction program, which requires that they preserve the land in its natural state for 15 years. Steep penalties will be incurred if they break with the agreement.
Those opposed to the amendment believe that rural areas will suffer revenue losses on the property tax base, but the state has approved some measures to reimburse these local economies. Others wonder whether many forest landowners will opt out of involvement in the program because the incentive to sell-off may be so great. Proponents hope the new property tax assessment will make them reconsider.
To read more about Amendment I from the Secretary of State’s office, go here.
Georgia Weekly has a nice analysis of all the amendments. Go here to watch the video. Discussion of the amendments with Georgia Public Policy Foundation’s Kelly McCutchen begins at 13:17.
You can also read more from the advocates of Amendment I by going here.
October 22nd, 2008 at 6:08 am
Well written - thank you, Mr. Editor. My first thought on this bill is that there must be some powerfully rich landowners in GA pushing for this tax reduction. My own family, in fact, owns and enjoys 200 acres of forest land in south GA and would benefit from this amendment, but we would never in a million years ever consider selling or developing it. It is located, after all, in the middle of nowhere in Podunktown, GA. I wonder, where is the reimbursement to local economies going to come from?