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OVERVIEW
OF GEORGIA TRUST/GAPA STATE ADVOCACY EFFORTS
Passage
of legislation and appropriations require the
involvement of many people. The following summary
includes legislation in which the Trust played an
active or leading advocacy role.
2008
·
GaPA is currently working to pass
HB 851, a technical
corrections bill to amend the Georgia State Income
Tax Credit for Rehabilitated Historic Property (OCGA
48-7-29.8). The proposed changes are as follows:
• Raises the $5,000 per project cap to $100,000 for
residential properties and $300,000 for
commercial
• Increases the credit to 25%, from 10% for
residential and 20% for commercial
• Permits transfer of the tax credits (one time) to
facilitate funding
2004
·
With the continuation of the national and
state economic downturn, GaPA continued its
efforts to maintain current funding levels
for preservation-related programs and
services.
Unfortunately, several programs suffered a
reduction in funding in the FY2005 budget.
·
In
addition, GaPA advocates worked to pass Senate Bill
407, a bill to establish a special
license plate to benefit historic
preservation funding. Introduced by Senators Eric
Johnson,
Brian Kemp, Randy Hall and Ginger Collins,
the intent of this legislation is to use the
net
proceeds of the sale of these license plates
to fund historic preservation in the state
through
the Georgia Heritage Grant program,
administered by DNR’s Historic Preservation
Division.
The bill passed the Senate on February 2nd
and was favourably reported by the House Motor
Vehicles Committee on March 24th.
While S.B. 407 received strong bi-partisan support
in
both the Senate and House, the bill did not
pass the full House before the conclusion of
the
General Assembly’s 2004 legislative session
due to the heavy level of partisan activity
associated with the FY2005 budget, HOPE
Scholarship, Tort Reform and other
high-profile
bills. GaPA will continue to advocate for
passage of the historic preservation license plate
in
order to utilize both state funding and
voluntarily donated revenue from the special
license
plate to increase overall funding for the
Heritage Grant program.
2003
·
In light of the national economic downturn
and resulting need to reduce the state budget,
GaPA’s top priority for the 2003
legislative session was to maintain current funding
levels for
preservation-related programs and
services.
·
In addition, GaPA worked to strengthen the
state tax credit for historic rehabilitation
passed
in the 2002 session and to establish a
program to assist with the rehabilitation of
Georgia’s
historic courthouses and city halls during
future legislative sessions.
2002
·
Georgia State Income Tax Credit for Historic
Rehabilitation passed as an amendment to
HB 1441. Provides a tax credit for
rehabilitating residential properties (10% credit)
and
commercial/income-producing properties (20%
tax credit) with a $5,000 maximum allowable
credit per project. The law was implemented
on January 1, 2004.
2001
·
Georgia Heritage Grant program funding
increased from $341,000 to $500,000.
·
$50,000 appropriation for a study of the
graves of former Governors.
·
$2 million was included in the supplemental
budget for Hardman Farm.
·
$1.5
million was included in the supplemental budget for
the Georgia Cities Foundation.
·
$5 million was included in the supplemental
budget for the Old Governor’s Mansion in
Milledgeville.
·
$750,000
was included in the supplemental budget for Resaca
Battlefield site development.
·
$200,000
was included in the supplemental budget for the
Civil War Trail Pilot Project.
·
$100,000
was included in the supplemental budget for the TRR
Cobb House.
·
The
Governor’s Commission on Georgia History and
Historical Tourism was created by
HB 190 to
study a broad range of history, preservation and
tourism issues.
·
The state
law for the protection of archeological sites was
strengthened by HB 698, by
clarifying
law enforcement provisions and confirming private
property owner’s rights.
2000
·
$5 million in bond funding was included for
the State Capitol restoration.
·
Included
language in the Governor’s A+ Education Reform Act
to level the playing field for
historic
schools with regard to state funding and allowing
schools to receive renovation
dollars more than one time.
·
The
Governor’s Greenspace Program was established to
encourage the protection of open
space,
which was defined to include historic and cultural
areas, in growing counties.
1999
·
The Georgia Civil War Commission obtained an
additional $112,000 for a heritage trail initiative
·
The State
Capitol Commission received $1.9 million in bonds in
the 1999 supplemental budget
·
Following
a second successful Joint Study Committee on
Historic Preservation, legislation
was drafted
to create a state tax credit for historic
rehabilitation of both income producing and
residential historic structures. The
legislation was not introduced due to a delay in the
State
Auditors
Office awaiting a fiscal note on the legislation.
1998
·
SB446:
Senators Johnson, Hill, Hooks and Oliver sponsored
legislation following the work of
the Joint Study Committee to: a) improve
state agency heritage stewardship by requiring
them to develop a preservation plan to
protect historic resources under their control,
b)
encourage state agencies and departments to
first consider locating state offices in
downtown historic facilities when feasible,
c) support the creation of a “Georgia Historical
and
Cultural Museum Assistance Program,” and d)
provide state authorization for preservation
grants.
1997
·
HR 425 was passed creating a Joint Study
Committee on Historic Preservation. This body
will meet to discuss the role of historic
preservation in the 21st century and to
determine the
needs of the preservation movement in an
effort to maximize the positive impact of
historic
preservation in
Georgia.
·
SB 21,
sponsored by Senator Robert Brown of Macon, passed
making the rehabilitation of
historic school buildings on the National
Register of Historic Places prior to December
30,
1994, eligible for state funding, up to the
cost of new construction.
1996
·
$4,000,000 included in the FY97 budget for
the Georgia State Capitol and another
$2,000,000
was included in the FY96 Supplemental Budget.
1994
·
Governor Zell Miller initiated the Georgia
Heritage 2000 grant program in his budget with
$135,000 subsequently approved by General
Assembly. The grants are administered through
the Historic Preservation Division of the
Georgia Department of Natural Resources with
the
goals of preserving historic properties and
stimulating economic development and
neighborhood revitalization through historic
preservation.
·
$125,000 allocated to re-establish the
statewide coordination of the Main Street
Program—allowed for the development and
growth of the Main Street Program following
its
funding being cut in 1991.
1993
·
Commission on Preservation of the State
Capitol created to ensure the long-term
preservation
of the Capitol. The Commission coordinates
different agencies involved and oversees
restoration of the capitol.
·
Civil War Commission created to develop a
Civil War Sites Heritage Plan. The Plan is
designed to promote Georgia's heritage
tourism while providing incentives to governments
and
local landowners to preserve historic Civil
War sites.
1992
·
Uniform Conservation Easements Act passed
allowing laws governing conservation
easements and protective covenants to run in
perpetuity and protecting easement holders
from liability for environmental hazards. The
law also requires that easement holders be
notified of anything planned by a government
agency or private property holder that would
affect the property.
·
S.B. 607:
Local option tax incentive program amendment passed
extending the state tax
assessment freeze to owners of residential
properties that are locally designated as
landmark
historic properties. The original law only
provided a tax assessment freeze for owners of
income-producing historic properties.
1991
·
S.B. 97: Georgia Environment Policy Act,
passed. The act provides that a state-funded
project determined to have significant
environmental effects (including adverse impact
on
historic sites or buildings) requires the
preparation of an environmental impact report.
·
H.B. 402: Cemetery and
Burial Ground Protection Policy, passed. The policy
provides that no
cemetery or burial site, including private
property and abandoned sites, may be disturbed
without a permit from the local government.
1990
·
H.B. 1247: prohibits
destruction of any courthouse built before 1905
without public referendum.
1989
·
Statewide property tax incentive program
established by legislature.
·
Georgia Register of Historic Places
established.
·
Growth
Strategies Bill included historic preservation in
planning at all levels of government.
1988
·
Georgia
voters passed constitutional amendment by 57-43%
margin to provide for property
tax incentives for rehabilitation.
1987
·
Georgians for Preservation Action established
as statewide lobbying network to address
statewide and national issues.
·
Appropriated $350,000 for preservation
planner program
1986
·
Joint Legislative Study Committee on Economic
Development through Historic Preservation.
Committee recommended full funding of
$675,000 for the Area Planning and
Development.
Commission’s Historic Preservation Planner
Program and $50,000 for administration of the
SHPO program.
1985
·
Developed H.B. 839 to improve application of
fire and building codes to rehabilitation of
existing buildings and provided guidelines
and liability protection for code officials.
1981
·
Conceived and supported technical corrections
to Georgia Facade and Conservation
Easements Act.
1980
·
Lobbied for National Heritage Policy Act of
1980, which established uniform guidelines for
enacting local preservation ordinances.
1979
·
H.B. 457: Georgia Historic Preservation Act,
establishing guidelines for implementing
historic
districts and making tax benefits available
through these districts.
1977
·
H.B. 237: Georgia Historic Preservation
Enabling Act, allowing localities to enact
ordinances
to protect historic sites.
1975
·
First
major organization to support restoration of the Fox
Theater in Atlanta.
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