Rogers co-sponsors Taxpayer Dividend Act

ATLANTA - State Rep. Carl Rogers, R-Gainesville, has co-sponsored HR 1216, legislation to amend the Georgia Constitution to provide income tax relief to Georgians during years of revenue surpluses.

"We have an obligation to be fiscally responsible in our handling of taxpayer dollars," Rogers said. "By taking a long term approach to the elimination of the personal income tax through the use of excess revenues, we can ensure that we fund our priorities and reduce the tax burden on our citizens."

Under this resolution, the Taxpayer Dividend Act, Georgians will be given the opportunity to vote to amend the Georgia Constitution to provide tax relief in years of a budget surplus by limiting the use of excess revenues.

The resolution proposes no spending caps, but instead provides for limitations on how excess revenues can be spent. Specifically, in years of a budget surplus, excess revenues would be spent in the following order of priority:

- Education: For unaccounted for increases in student enrollment in local school systems

- Revenue Shortfall Reserves: A savings account of 8 percent of the previous fiscal year spending will be maintained

- Taxpayer Dividend: When the first two items are fully met, then remaining excess revenues will be returned to taxpayers by increasing the personal income tax exemptions for all Georgians

"What we are advocating is a fundamental shift in the way we view surpluses," Rogers continued. "Combining spending reform with tax relief in Georgia is long overdue."