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DEL.ICIO.USDon’t call it a threat. Just an offer that requires a thorough examination
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Six state lawmakers, three Republicans and three Democrats, were up on a stage in the Cobb Galleria center on Friday, discussing what could be expected next year when the Legislature convenes.
This was an Atlanta Regional Commission event, so the audience consisted primarily of local city and county officials.
Among the lawmakers, state Rep. Earl Ehrhart, a Republican from Powder Springs and chairman of the House rules committee, packed the most clout.
As a close associate of Speaker Glenn Richardson, Ehrhart was peppered with questions about the House Republican effort to eliminate property taxes in favor of a shift to a broader sales tax.
One critic asked Ehrhart to explain why it was better for tax revenue to flow to Atlanta, there to be parsed out to cities and counties and school systems throughout the state.
Ehrhart didn’t exactly comply.
Instead, the House rules chairman pointed out that the state levies a tax on all insurance premiums paid in Georgia — whether the policies cover life, health, or property. Some $480 million is raised each year. The cash is then divided among local governments, four times a year.
Never have lawmakers attached strings to the money, Ehrhart said. But if mayors and county commissioners fear centralized government, perhaps that tax should be repealed for consistency’s sake, the rules chairman suggested.
Afterwards, Ehrhart says he’s been combing the state code for other “hidden taxes” that benefit counties and cities. Like franchise fees that local governments charge cable TV companies and other monopolies for operating in their territory. The Legislature could determine those worth ditching, too, he said.
It sounded, we noted, like he was describing two screws that House Republicans were willing to put to the thumbs of county and city officials if they bucked the speaker’s tax plan.
A threat? Oh, gracious, no, Ehrhart said. “Let’s call it a second front.”
Comments
By taxpayer
December 7, 2007 5:23 PM | Link to this
Go Chairman Ehrhart! Please get rid of all those hidden taxes that the Democrats put in place years ago.
Make the city and county government officials actually vote to raise taxes if they need money instead of hiding the taxes. Then maybe they will act in a responsible manner when spending our money. They sure don’t have a problem with the state collecting these taxes and then sending it to lacal governments. Mayors and commissioners also love it when the state collects their many penny sales taxes on their behalf. hypocrites….
By Another taxpayer
December 8, 2007 6:19 PM | Link to this
I am in favor of any legislation that moves us closer to eliminating the local level of government. Aside from eliminating the tax burden, we have at least a chance of getting a fairer system for all if it is controlled at a state level. No more local favoritism. No more overpaid, arrogant county managers. No more biased local tax appraisers. We would be better off transferring all these jobs overseas and dealing with someone that speaks broken English for service.
By Nice job, Sonny & Gold Domers
December 10, 2007 10:43 AM | Link to this
Boy, the state is doing such a great job looking out for those Georgians who need it the most…
http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/251/story/195461.html
Tax-supported agencies send mentally ill to unlicensed homes
By BobG
December 10, 2007 7:28 PM | Link to this
Support honesty and transparency in property taxation as described at www.MillageRate.com. If you want true tax reform, demand that your State Reps back a law that requires cities, counties and school boards to adopt a mathematically-correct rate that takes no more than required to fund the budget.
Oh, you didn’t know that they weren’t already required to do that?