With gratitude to the Muslim Voter Project, we have compiled their guidance for what the constitutional amendments and house referendum questions on your ballot for the 2022 Election.
Proposed Constitutional Amendment #1
Stops pay for elected officials suspended for being formally accused of a crime.
How it appears on your ballot
Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to suspend the compensation of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, State School Superintendent, Commissioner of Insurance, Commissioner of Agriculture, Commissioner of Labor, or any member of the General Assembly while such individual is suspended from office following indictment for a felony?”
Senate Resolution No. 134
What it means
Currently, if a Georgia state elected official is suspended from office after being accused of a felony, they will still be paid. This amendment would change that.
If this amendment passes, the Georgia state constitution would be changed so that some elected officials would stop being paid while they are suspended from office for being formally accused of a felony by a grand jury. In Georgia, a felony is any crime punished by more than one year in jail.
This affects officials are elected to the state government, including the heads of the executive and judicial branches of Georgia’s government. All members of Georgia’s legislature would also be affected by this amendment.
A “yes” vote means
- The Georgia state constitution changes.
- Public officials suspended for a felony will not get paid while they are suspended.
A “no” vote means
- The Georgia state constitution stays the same.
- Public officials suspended for a felony will keep getting paid while they are suspended.
Proposed Constitutional Amendment #2
Lets local governments waive taxes for properties affected by a disaster.
How it appears on your ballot
Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to provide that the governing authority of each county, municipality, and consolidated government and the board of education of each independent and county school system in this state shall be authorized to grant temporary tax relief to properties within its jurisdiction which are severely damaged or destroyed as a result of a disaster and located within a nationally declared disaster area?
House Resolution No. 594
What it means
If passed, the Georgia state constitution would be changed to give local governments the power to temporarily waive property taxes on properties that were damaged or destroyed in a disaster. In order to have taxes waived, the property would need to be in a nationally declared disaster area.
A “yes” vote means
- The Georgia state constitution changes.
- Local government would have the power to not require property taxes on properties damaged or destroyed by a disaster.
A “no” vote means
- The Georgia state constitution stays the same.
- Local governments continue to not have power to waive property taxes on disaster-affected properties.
Statewide Referendum Question #1
Lowers taxes on dairy and egg farms
How it appears on your ballot
Shall the Act be approved which expands a state-wide exemption from ad valorem taxes for agricultural equipment and certain farm products held by certain entities to include entities comprising two or more family owned entities, and which adds dairy products and unfertilized eggs of poultry as qualified farm products with respect to such exemption?
House Bill No. 498
What it means
If this referendum is passed, farms that produce dairy and eggs would not have to pay taxes on specific equipment and products for the farm, like tractors. The act only applies to “merged” farms, which means that only farms that are a combination of two or more farms that used to be owned by individual families can get the tax exemption. Individual family farms are not included.
Right now, farms that produce livestock, crops, fruit, nuts, plants, and Christmas tress are already exempt from the tax.
A “yes” vote means
- Farms that sell dairy and eggs and are made up of at least two former family farms won’t have to pay taxes on certain equipment and products.
A “no” vote means
- Farms that sell dairy and eggs and are made up of at least two former family farms will continue paying taxes on certain equipment and products.
Statewide Referendum Question #2
Lowers taxes for loggers on certain equipment
How it appears on your ballot
Shall the Act be approved which grants a state-wide exemption from all ad valorem taxes for certain equipment used by timber producers in the production or harvest of timber?
House Bill No. 997
What it means
If passed, loggers would not have to pay property taxes on certain equipment used for timber harvesting. This equipment includes wood cutters, chippers, loaders, dozers, debarkers, and delimbers. Motor vehicles are not included. The timber itself would still be taxed.
A “yes” vote means
- Loggers don’t have to pay taxes on some equipment used to harvest timber.
A “no” vote means
- Loggers continue paying taxes on timber harvesting equipment.
