The GBPI is doing a state wide tour of Georgia pointing out the tax changes our “leaders” in the House and Senate are pushing. Most of it is old conservative ideas that have not worked in other states but leave it to our leaders to follow the well beaten path to ruin. Check out GBPI website for more information.
Here is the information for the Valdosta one.
Tax tour coming to Valdosta Tuesday
ATLANTA — The Georgia Budget and Policy Institute (GBPI) is hosting a series of meetings throughout Georgia to educate the public about proposals being discussed by state legislators that would make major changes to the state’s tax system.
The tour is being conducted in collaboration with AARP Georgia, the Georgia Association of Educators, the Georgia School Board Association, the Georgia Municipal Association and the Georgia Coalition United for a Responsible Budget.
The tour will visit Valdosta Tuesday at University Center North in Magnolia Room No. 1 at Valdosta State University. The meeting will begin at 4 p.m. and end by 6 p.m. The meeting is free and open to the public, but registration is required. The public can register by visiting www.gbpi.org and clicking on the Tax Reform Reality Check logo. Many local public and elected officials will be in attendance.
The state legislature is reviewing various proposed changes to the state’s tax system. Several proposals could have a dramatic impact on Georgia communities, especially city and county governments, local school boards and local economic development organizations.
One proposal, House Resolution 900, would eliminate all property taxes (approximately $9.5 billion) and replace them with a new sales tax on all services and goods (including groceries and medicines) at a rate of 4 percent. The proposal would allow a refundable income tax credit for some groceries and medicines, but a process for creating such a refund has not yet been outlined. This proposal could have a dramatic impact on many Georgia communities and change federal tax deductions and liabilities for individuals.
Other proposals include Senate Resolution 20, also called TABOR, that would limit state revenue growth to population growth plus government inflation, and Senate Resolution 282, which would eliminate the state income tax and replace it with new sales tax of 6.5 percent on all currently taxed items plus all goods and services currently exempted from taxes.
In addition to the proposals above, many other ideas are being floated and may not be fully known until the legislature convenes in January or later.
The Georgia Budget and Policy Institute (GBPI) is an independent, nonprofit, non-partisan organization engaged in research and education on the fiscal and economic health of the state of Georgia. The Institute provides reliable and timely analyses of Georgia’s budget and tax policies and promotes greater state government fiscal accountability, improved services and an enhanced quality of life for all Georgians.
Filed under: Georgia, Georgia Politics, Health Care Policy, Poverty, Rural
