Georgia Department of Revenue
Local Government Services
&
Motor Vehicle Divisions
Georgia Department of
Revenue
Georgia Department of Revenue
Sales Ratio Study Statistics
2012 REPORT CARDS
Georgia Department of Revenue
Average Overall Ratio
39.5
39
38.5
39.23
38
37.5
37
37.4
36.5
36
2008
1
2012
Georgia Department of Revenue
Statewide Statistics
• Lowest = 33.59
• Highest = 43.66
• 6 counties < 36% & owe state levy
recovery
• 46 > 40%
Georgia Department of Revenue
School System Millage Rates
16.100%
16.000%
15.900%
15.800%
15.700%
15.600%
15.500%
15.400%
15.300%
15.200%
15.100%
2010
2011
2012
Georgia Department of Revenue
DIGEST SUBMISSION
DO’S & DON’TS
Georgia Department of Revenue
What is the tax digest?
A listing of assessments and exemptions
Real and Personal Property
Timber
Mobile Homes
Motor Vehicles
Heavy Duty Equipment
Public Utilities
Georgia Department of Revenue
Who’s Responsible?
Tax Commissioner
Tax Assessor
County Board of Commissioners
County Board of Education
Georgia Department of Revenue
Board of Commissioners
Board of Education
Establish annual budget
Set Millage rate
Advertise and Hold Public Hearings
Georgia Department of Revenue
CONSOLIDATION SHEETS
Provide a summarized look at the basic
make-up of the county.
Primary documents used by the Georgia
Legislature, Department of Revenue,
Department of Audits, State School Board
and many other agencies.
Georgia Department of Revenue
Georgia Department of Revenue
Add Other Property to the Digest
Motor Vehicles
total values of all vehicles returned during 2012, using 2011 millage
Mobile Homes
Digest provided by Board of Assessors
Timber
100% total of sales & harvests reported for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, & 4th quarters of 2012
Heavy Duty Equipment
billings made during 2012
Public Utility
May now bill prior year at 85% when current PU Digest is not yet available.
Georgia Department of Revenue
COUNTY MILLAGE RATE CERTIFICATION
Georgia Department of Revenue
Setting Millage Rate
Budget / Net Assessed Value = Millage Rate
$2,513,394 / 136,597,405 = 0.01840
0.01840 x 1000
18.40 gross mills
Georgia Department of Revenue
PENDING APPEALS – PUBLIC UTILITY
Georgia Department of Revenue
O.C.G.A. 48-2-18
48-5-18…(e) …. In the event that the
commissioner has not provided the
“PUBLIC UTILITY DIGEST”… by August 1
… the “county tax commissioner” … may
issue interim tax bills … equal to 85
percent of such (Public Utility) ….property
tax bill for the immediately preceding tax
year. …
Georgia Department of Revenue
Public Utility Billing
Public Utilities are Centrally Assessed by DOR - rather than being locally
appraised by County BOA.
When the county assessors receives the Notice of Value from DOR – the utility
values have already been approved by the State Board of Equalization.
When the utility company files an appeal of value – the appeal goes to Fulton
County Superior Court. The utility company will notify the county that they
have appealed the Central Assessment and will state their 'Undisputed Value'.
The ‘Undisputed Value’ is the amount which should be the basis for billing by the
local tax commissioner.
In some instances the utility company disputes the ‘Level of Assessment'
assigned by the local BOA.
This happens when GA Department of Audits determines that the county's overall
level of assessment ratio is below .38 and the county assessor still sets a .40
assessment ratio for public utility property.
Georgia Department of Revenue
PENDING APPEALS – OTHER
Georgia Department of Revenue
O.C.G.A. 48-5-304
…The commissioner shall not be
required to disapprove or withhold
approval of the digest of any county
solely because appeals have been filed
or arbitrations demanded on the
assessment of any property or number
of properties in the county …
Georgia Department of Revenue
WORKSHEETS, ROLLBACKS, ADVERTISEMENTS…
PT32.1A - Revenue Reduction Calculation Worksheet
PT32.1 - Computation of Millage Rate Rollback
Current Digest and Five Year History Advertisement
Notice of Property Tax Increase Advertisements
Press Release
Georgia Department of Revenue
PT32.1A Revenue Reduction Calculation
Worksheet
Used to calculate the value of revenue
reduction due to implementation of the
Forest Land Protection Act of 2008
Georgia Department of Revenue
Georgia Department of Revenue
PT32.1 Calculation of Millage Rate Rollback
Amended to include Revenue Reduction
Value attributable to the implementation of
the Forest Land Protection Act of 2008.
Georgia Department of Revenue
Georgia Department of Revenue
Advertisements
O.C.G.A. 48-5-32 and O.C.G.A. 48-5-32.1
Requires levying and recommending authority:
To publish 5-Year History and Current Digest
If proposed millage exceeds rollback rate (as
calculated by PT32.1 form) a Press Release
must be issued and three public hearings must
be held and advertised as
Notice of Tax Increase
Georgia Department of Revenue
Georgia Department of Revenue
Format for Notice of Tax Increase
Georgia Department of Revenue
Georgia Department of Revenue
Georgia Department of Revenue
Things to Remember
• Notice of Property Tax Increase Advertisements
–
–
–
–
–
–
At least 30 square inches
Published on website
Not placed in legal notice section of newspaper
Advertise at least one week (7 day) prior to meeting
Statutory language MUST be used
Submit signed “Calculation of Millage Rate Rollback
and Percentage Increase in Property Taxes”
Georgia Department of Revenue
Things to Remember
• 5-Year History
– Published in newspaper of general circulation
– Ad must be published two weeks prior to meeting
date (14 days)
• Only have to publish ad one time
– Required to only advertise maintenance & operation
budget/mill rate
– % increase/decrease cannot deviate more than 3%
Georgia Department of Revenue
Order Issued
The Revenue Commissioner issues an order
authorizing the Tax Commissioner to proceed
with the billing & collection process.
Penalty for Collection of tax before Commissioner’s Order
is Received:
Double Amount Attempted to be Collected
Georgia Department of Revenue
No digest in sight?
Voluntary Collection Order issued by
Revenue Commissioner.
Temporary Collection Order issued by
Superior Court Judge. 48-5-310
Georgia Department of Revenue
Guide for Ensuring Compliance
• “2013 COMPLIANCE GUIDE FOR
ADVERTISING DIGEST HISTORY AND
PUBLIC HEARINGS OF INCREASE IN
TAXES” posted on website at:
– https://etax.dor.ga.gov/PTD/cas/rollback/index.aspx
Georgia Department of Revenue
Motor Vehicles
TITLE AD VALOREM TAX
Georgia Department of Revenue
March 1, 2013
• Titled motor vehicle purchased on or after
March 1, 2013:
• Exempt from sales and use tax
• Exempt from annual ad valorem tax (birthday tax) in
Chapter 5 of Title 48
• Subject to a title ad valorem tax (TAVT)
• Alternative ad valorem tax
Georgia Department of Revenue
Comparison
Pre-March 1
March 1
$35,000 sale price
- $15,000 trade in allowance
$20,000 taxable value
$35,000 sale price
- $15,000 trade in allowance
$20,000 taxable value
7.0% Sales Tax = $1,400
Title Ad Valorem Tax Due =
$1,300.00
Ad valorem based on 25 mills =
$350 ($35,000 * .40 * 25 mills)
Year 1 taxpayer pays $1,750
$450 savings in year 1
+ annual ad valorem tax in future
years
Georgia Department of Revenue
Non-dealer (casual) transactions
Pre-March 1
March 1
$35,000 value
$35,000 value
- No allowance for trade in
$35,000 taxable value
$350 annual ad valorem tax
Title Ad Valorem Tax Due =
(25 mills * $14,000 assessed value)
+
$18.00 Title Application Fee
+
$20.00 Registration Fee
$2,275
+
$18.00 Title Application Fee
+
$20.00 Registration Fee
Georgia Department of Revenue
State & Local Title Ad Valorem Tax Rates
Tax Year
Tax Rate
State %
Local %
2013
6.5%
57%
43%
2014
6.75
55%
45%
2015
7%
55%
45%
2016*
7%
53.5%
46.5%
2017*
7%
44%
56%
2018*
7%
40%
60%
2019*
7%
36%
64%
2020*
7%
34%
66%
2021*
7%
30%
70%
2022 – forward*
7%
28%
72%
Georgia Department of Revenue
Distributions
• Proceeds disbursed within 20 days
following the end of each calendar month
Georgia Department of Revenue
Distribution to State
Ad valorem tax Distributed to:
& fees
State title ad
valorem tax,
fees, salvage,
penalties,
interest,
administrative
fees
State
(deposited in
General
Treasury)
Deductions
1%
Administrative
Fee (to be
remitted to the
collecting
county’s
general fund)
Penalty
Failure to remit
within the 20
day period
results in
forfeiture of
administration
fee plus interest
at the rate of
1% per month
Georgia Department of Revenue
Distribution of Local Title Ad Valorem Tax
• Within 20 days following the end of each
calendar month allocate and distribute in an
amount to offset any reduction in ad valorem
tax on motor vehicles collected under Chapter 5
of Title 48 (ad valorem tax):
–
–
–
–
County governing authority
Municipal governing authorities
Board of education of county schools
Board of education of municipal schools
Georgia Department of Revenue
“Old” Ad Valorem Tax
• Titled vehicles with no ownership change
• Non-titled vehicles
– 1985 or older vehicles are not required to be
titled
– Trailers
– Campers
Georgia Department of Revenue
How to Calculate Ad Valorem True-Up
• Subtract the amount of ad valorem tax on motor
vehicles (old method) collected in the same
month of 2012
District
County
School
Special Districts
Municipalities
Amount Collected
March 2012
Amount Collected
March 2013
Difference
Georgia Department of Revenue
Levy Type
District
&
Name
Net Annual
Ad Valorem
Tax Before
True-up
TAVT
True-up
Net Annual
Ad Valorem
Tax after TrueUp
(= Same Month/2012)
County M & O
School
Municipalities
TOTALS
Unincorporated
$ 34,521.23.
$ 1,726.06
$ 36,247.29
Incorporated
$ 70,144.52
$ 3,507.23
$ 73,651.75
County M & O
$222,751.00
$11,137.55
$233,888.60
City 1 School
$ 8,652.31
$ 432.62
$ 9,084.93
City 2 School
$ 7,562.23
$ 378.11
$ 7,940.34
City 1
$ 11,235.12
$ 561.76
$ 11,796.88
City 2
$ 1,985.47
$
$ 2,084.74
$322,330.65
99.27
$ 16,116.54
$338,447.24
Georgia Department of Revenue
Distribution of TAVT (3 Thirds)
1st
Third
County
&
Independent
School Systems
2nd Third
Local
Governments
or
Schools
3rd Third
Local
Governments
Georgia Department of Revenue
Distribution of 1st Third
IF……
THEN…..
The county has no independent
school districts
100% of the first third goes to the
county school board
The county has one or more
independent school districts
The first third is shared among the
county and the independent school
districts based on ratio of students
in each school system –or – SPLOST
agreement
Georgia Department of Revenue
Distribution of 2nd Third
IF
The county has ELOST
Then
Distributed to the county school boards
and the municipal school boards “in the
same manner as required under the local
constitutional amendment.”
If county has LOST: Distributed to the
county authority and each qualified
If no ELOST then funds distributed to local municipality in the county according to
governments
the county’s LOST distribution certificate.
If no LOST: Distributed based on
population
Georgia Department of Revenue
Distribution of 3rd Third
If …
Then …
Current SPLOST: Distributed to the county authority
and each qualified municipality in the county according
to the intergovernmental agreement or as otherwise
required under the SPLOST that is in effect at the time.
Expired SPLOST: Distributed to the county authority and
each qualified municipality according to these rules:
The county has SPLOST or expired SPLOLST
- If the SPLOST has expired within 12 months,
distributed to the county authority and each qualified
municipality in the county according to the
intergovernmental agreement or as otherwise required
under the SPLOST that was previously in effect.
- If the SPLOST has expired over 12 months ago, then
▪ If there is a LOST in effect, distributed to the
county authority and each qualified municipality in the
county according to the county’s distribution certificate
▪ If there is no LOST in effect, distributed
“according to the ratio that each such municipality bears
to the population of the entire county.”
Georgia Department of Revenue
Statistics
• As of November 5, 2013
– 1,660,041 transactions
– $842,868,293 in Revenue
Georgia Department of Revenue
Contact
Vicki Lambert
vicki.lambert@dor.ga.gov
For Digest Questions
Ellen Mills
ellen.mills@dor.ga.gov
Georgia Department of Revenue