Q: With the passage of HB 386 and the elimination of the birthday tax, the Georgia Department of Revenue website states: “If the vehicle was purchased in Georgia between Jan. 1, 2012 and March 1, 2013 and titled in this state, the owner is eligible to opt in to the new system. … This option must be exercised before Jan. 1, 2014.” It goes on to state that the earliest date that you can opt in is March 1. What if your birthday is in January or February, as in our case, and therefore the ad valorem is due before March 1?
— Laura Thielemann, Alpharetta
A: Pay the property tax on the new vehicle before March 1 and opt into the new system after that date, Clint Mueller, the legislative director for the Association County Commissioners of Georgia, told Q&A on the News. "She should be able to go to her tax commissioner's office and convert to the new system after March 1 and no longer pay property tax on the vehicle as long as she owns it," Mueller said.
Q: What happened to Justin Lock, the weather reporter on “Better Mornings Atlanta” on CBS Atlanta?
— Jerome Bernhardt, Marietta
A: Justin Lock, who was the meteorologist on "Good Mornings Atlanta," left the show late last year to spend more time with his family in South Carolina, the AJC reported. Lock joined CBS Atlanta in March 2010 and eventually joined "Better Mornings Atlanta."
Andy Johnston wrote this column; Rodney Ho contributed. Do you have a question about the news? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or email q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
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