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3/12/2008
House Approves Two Measures Supported By GFA
Landowners and forest product manufacturers were winners last week as the Georgia House sent two important measures to the State Senate.

HB 272 by State Rep. Jeff Lewis, R-White, would cap the energy price at which sales tax is charged on energy used in the manufacturing process. While significantly scaled back from the original version introduced by Rep. Lewis a few years ago, the legislation nevertheless is estimated to save Georgia manufacturers almost $30 million before the partial exemption expires July 30, 2011.

Also on Tuesday, a bill to improve the existing conservation use valuation assessment (CUVA) property tax was approved by House members. Pushed by State Representatives Bob Lane, R-Statesboro, and Richard Royal, R-Camilla, HB 1081 would add to CUVA the 'cure' provision included in legislation now moving through the legislature to provide tax relief to large forest landowners (HB 1211). This provision would allow a landowner an opportunity to correct an alleged breach of a CUVA covenant before being dropped from the program and charged with substantial penalties.

HB 1081 would also clarify that to enroll in CUVA a property need meet only one of the qualifying uses included in the CUVA statute. This provision is in response to counties that are refusing CUVA to landowners whose property may contain a restrictive covenant related to a single qualifying use.

Click here for a copy of HB 272

Click here for a copy of HB 1081
 

 



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