Georgia voters can study several possible changes to the state's constitution after the Secretary of State's Office on Tuesday released summaries of proposed amendments that will be on the November ballot.
Georgians will decide whether changes should be made to allow the state to set aside a portion of the tax money collected from sporting goods stores to protect land and whether the state should require courts to notify victims before the hearings for those accused of harming them.
Voters also will decide whether they believe the state should establish a statewide business court and allow the Department of Revenue to keep up to 5 percent of state grants given to counties to preserve forestland to use for administrative costs.
A fifth proposed amendment would remove the requirement that a county and city school district must agree before calling for a referendum to raise sales taxes for education. That's in cases where there is an independent school district within a county, such as the city of Atlanta's school system within Fulton County, which has its own district.
If the amendment passes, the district with the most students would be able to call for a referendum on its own.
Georgians can also learn about two questions on the ballot that address tax breaks.
Voters will decide whether Atlantans can put a cap on what they pay in property taxes. Atlanta lawmakers in the General Assembly did not all agree with the proposal, requiring a statewide vote.
A final question will ask Georgians to vote to clarify a tax break for those running nonprofit homes for the mentally disabled so it still applies when the organization has to get a loan to build or renovate the property.
A copy of the booklet with each proposal and a summary is available online as well as at the state’s probate courts. To request a printed version in the mail, call the Secretary of State’s Office at 404-656-2881 or email soscontact@sos.ga.gov.
Stay on top of what’s happening in Georgia government and politics at ajc.com/politics.
About the Author
