House offers new version of tax bill

The Georgia House of Representatives made a concession Wednesday in the ongoing debate about how to pay for transportation improvements.

The House changed House Bill 277, which calls for a statewide 1 percent sales tax for roads, bridges and other improvements. In a concession to the Senate, the new version of the bill would allow contiguous counties to band together and tax themselves for transportation projects, which is the regional approach the Senate favors. But, that would only happen if voters first failed to approve a statewide tax, which is what the House wants. House Majority Leader Jerry Keen (R-St. Simons Island) said the Senate should agree to the House compromise and put Georgia toward a solution to gridlock. It will be up to the Senate to agree or disagree today. If no agreement is made, each chamber could then appoint representatives to a conference committee as soon as today to work out a deal.