Legislation (H.B. 80) introduced in the Georgia General Assembly may effectively raise taxes on untitled vehicles that remain subject to the state’s annual ad valorem tax. As a result of a law enacted last year, vehicles that are sold in the state and re-titled in the new owner’s name will be subject to a one-time tax (“New Title Fee”) beginning March 1, 2013. The “New Title Fee” will replace annual ad valorem taxes for titled vehicles sold after March 1, 2013, including vehicles sold and purchased by enthusiasts. However, pre-1963 model year vehicles are not titled and pre-1986 model year vehicles are not required to be titled, so many vehicles would remain subject to the lesser annual assessments even when transferred to a new owner.
H.B. 80 is designed to close the loophole on un-titled vehicles and would alter the definition of "fair market value” to force vehicle owners subject to the annual tax to pay more by assessing their vehicle’s value at the retail selling price or the value contained within the assessment manual, whichever is greater. Since current law requires antique, hobby, and special interest vehicles to be valued in this manual at only $100 for ad valorem tax purposes, the retail selling price will almost always be the greater of the two values.
We Urge You to Contact All Members of the Georgia House Ways and Means Committee (List Attached Below) Immediately to Request Their Opposition to H.B. 80
- For purposes of ad valorem taxes on motor vehicles, "antique or hobby or special interest motor vehicle" means a motor vehicle which is 25 years old or older or a motor vehicle which has been designed and manufactured to resemble an antique or historical vehicle.
- Under current law, pre-1986 vehicles are not required to be titled in Georgia and pre-1963 vehicles cannot be titled in Georgia, so these vehicles cannot be subjected to the “New Title Fee,” but would be subject to an increased annual ad valorem tax.
- H.B. 80 threatens to raise the annual ad valorem tax on pre-1986 vehicles without titles by assessing their value based on the retail selling price.
- H.B. 80 ignores the fact that many antique, classic and collectible vehicles are owned and maintained by low and fixed income Americans who are less able to afford a higher, annual tax.
- H.B. 80 ignores the fact that these older cars are infrequently driven (about one-third the miles each year as a new vehicle) hobby cars and should not be subject to increased tax rates.
DON’T DELAY! Please contact members of the Georgia House Ways and Means Committee immediately by e-mail to request their opposition to H.B. 80.
Please e-mail a copy of your letter to Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org. Also, please forward this Alert to your fellow car enthusiasts. Urge them to join the SAN and help defend the hobby! Thank you for your assistance.
Georgia House Ways and Means Committee
To e-mail all Committee members, copy and paste the email address block below:
mickey.channell@house.ga.gov; allen.peake@house.ga.gov; david.knight@house.ga.gov; Stacey.abrams@house.ga.gov; paul.battles@house.ga.gov; sharon.beasley-teague@house.ga.gov; ellis.black@house.ga.gov; bob.bryant@house.ga.gov; john.carson@house.ga.gov; terry.england@house.ga.gov; virgil.fludd@house.ga.gov; ben.harbin@house.ga.gov; brett.harrell@house.ga.gov; penny.houston@house.ga.gov; chuck.martin@house.ga.gov; howard.mosby@house.ga.gov; larry.oneal@house.ga.gov; votebjpak@gmail.com; don.parsons@house.ga.gov;alan.powell@house.ga.gov; matt.ramsey@house.ga.gov; tom.rice@house.ga.gov; lynne.riley@house.ga.gov; chuck.sims@house.ga.gov; mickey.stephens@house.ga.gov; ron.stephens@house.ga.gov; willie.talton@house.ga.gov; Wendell.willard@house.ga.gov; bruce.williamson@house.ga.gov
Representative Mickey Channell (Chairman)
Phone: 404/656-5103
Email: mickey.channell@house.ga.gov
Representative Allen Peake (Vice Chairman)
Phone: 404/656-5025
Email: allen.peake@house.ga.gov
Representative David Knight (Secretary)
Phone: 404/656-7855
Email: david.knight@house.ga.gov
Representative Stacey Abrams
Phone: 404/656-5058
Email: Stacey.abrams@house.ga.gov
Representative Paul Battles
Phone: 404/656-0152
Email: paul.battles@house.ga.gov
Representative Sharon Beasley-Teague
Phone: 404/656-0220
Email: sharon.beasley-teague@house.ga.gov
Representative Ellis Black
Phone: 404/656-0287
Email: ellis.black@house.ga.gov
Representative Bob Bryant
Phone: 404/656-0298
Email: bob.bryant@house.ga.gov
Representative John Carson
Phone: 404/656-0287
Email: john.carson@house.ga.gov
Representative Terry England
Phone: 404/463-2247
Email: terry.england@house.ga.gov
Representative Virgil Fludd
Phone: 404/656-0314
Email: virgil.fludd@house.ga.gov
Representative Ben Harbin
Phone: 404/656-3949
Email: ben.harbin@house.ga.gov
Representative Brett Harrell
Phone: 404/656-0254
Email: brett.harrell@house.ga.gov
Representative Penny Houston
Phone: 404/463-2247
Email: penny.houston@house.ga.gov
Representative Chuck Martin
Phone: 404/656-5064
Email: chuck.martin@house.ga.gov
Representative Howard Mosby
Phone: 404/656-0287
Email: howard.mosby@house.ga.gov
Representative Larry O`Neal
Phone: 404/656-5052
Email: larry.oneal@house.ga.gov
Representative B.J. Pak
Phone: 404/656-0254
Email: votebjpak@gmail.com
Representative Don Parsons
Phone: 404/656-9198
Email: don.parsons@house.ga.gov
Representative Alan Powell
Phone: 404/656-0202
Email: alan.powell@house.ga.gov
Representative Matt Ramsey
Phone: 404/656-7146
Email: matt.ramsey@house.ga.gov
Representative Tom Rice
Phone: 404/656-5912
Email: tom.rice@house.ga.gov
Representative Lynne Riley
Phone: 404/656-0188
Email: lynne.riley@house.ga.gov
Representative Chuck Sims
Phone: 404/656-7855
Email: chuck.sims@house.ga.gov
Representative Mickey Stephens
Phone: 404/656-0116
Email: mickey.stephens@house.ga.gov
Representative Ron Stephens
Phone: 404/656-5115
Email: ron.stephens@house.ga.gov
Representative Willie Talton
Phone: 404/656-5116
Email: willie.talton@house.ga.gov
Representative Wendell Willard
Phone: 404/656-5125
Email: Wendell.willard@house.ga.gov
Representative Bruce Williamson
Phone: 404/656-7859
Email: bruce.williamson@house.ga.gov