DOR Releases 911 Prepaid Revenues for 2018
The Georgia Department of Revenue (DOR) recently released information regarding the reduction in prepaid 911 fees received this year. Although DOR cannot provide details, it is ACCG's understanding that the reduction was due to a large refund, probably one that spanned a multiple year time frame. It has been advised that the correction will likely result in a 10 percent reduction in 911 prepaid revenues in future years. Please budget an amount for 2018 that is about 10 percent less than what you received in 2016. ACCG continues to work with the newly created 911 Authority to see what laws need to be changed to give counties more information and advanced notice of changes to their 911 prepaid revenues.
Department of Audits Releases Report on GATE Program
In October, the Georgia Department of Audits issued a performance audit of the Georgia Agricultural Tax Exemption (GATE) Program. The GATE Program, established in 2013, exempts certain agricultural producers from paying sales taxes on products purchased for their agricultural operations. Agricultural producers apply to the Department of Agriculture for a “GATE Card” which can then be presented to retailers who do not charge sales taxes on purchases for the cardholder’s agricultural operations. The audit concludes that the Department of Agriculture is not collecting the necessary information to determine initial eligibility for GATE Cards. In addition, the audit reports that 29 of 42 random audits conducted by the Department of Revenue revealed ineligible GATE cardholders and/or ineligible purchases by those cardholders. The full audit can be viewed
here
.
2018 DCA Local Government and Authorities Survey and Report Schedule Released
The Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) has released their 2018 schedule for county, municipal, and authority reports and surveys. This schedule includes deadlines, links to each report and survey, contact information for DCA staff overseeing the report or survey, and the relevant code sections that pertain to each survey or the report if applicable. All questions regarding username and password information needs to be directed to
DCA.Research@dca.ga.gov
. The full schedule is available
here
.
New GDOT Local Grants Administrator Announced
The Georgia Department of Transportation recently named Kelvin Mullins as the new Local Grants Administrator. Mullins has more than 20 years of experience at GDOT, most recently serving as
administrator of the highway construction program funded through the Transportation Investment Act (TIA).
Proposed Changes To EPD Solid Waste Management Rules
The Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) Land Protection Branch has published proposed rule changes for solid waste management. The proposed rules can be viewed
here
. The proposed rules include requirements for all solid waste handling permits (new and existing) to be reviewed and updated (as necessary) every five years.
Counties who own and operate landfills are encouraged to attend the public hearing taking place Nov. 28, 2017 from 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm at the Department of Natural Resources Tradeport Training Room:
4244 International Parkway
Suite 116
Atlanta, Georgia 30354.
Written comments addressing the proposed rules can be made by December 18 and submitted via email to
EPDComments@dnr.ga.gov
or mailed physically addressed to Branch Chief, Land Protection Branch, 4244 International Parkway, Suite 104, Atlanta, Georgia 30354.
TSPLOST Passes in Seven Counties
Nine Georgia counties had Single County Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (TSPLOST) initiatives on the Nov. 7,2017 ballot. Unofficial election results show TSPLOST passed in seven counties (Athens-Clarke, Colquitt, Decatur, Haralson, Putnam, Walker and Ware) and failed in two counties (Dade and Spalding).
In the seven counties that passed TSPLOST, the tax will be levied at 1 percent for five years and is solely dedicated for transportation purposes. Sales tax collection will begin in April 2018.
