City Council Special Call

CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL CALL MINUTES Monday, October 28, 2024 Council Chambers 5:00 PM 70 S. Clayton St, GA 30046 Call to Order PRESENT Mayor David Still Council Member Bruce Johnson Council Member Victoria Jones Council Member Austin Thompson Mayor Pro-Tem Marlene Taylor-Crawford Approval of Agenda Motion to approve agenda made by Council Member Thompson, Seconded by Council Member Jones. Voting Yea: Mayor Still, Council Member Johnson, Council Member Jones, Council Member Thompson, Mayor Pro-Tem Taylor-Crawford Council Business There is no public comment during this section of the agenda unless formally requested by the Mayor and the Council. 1. Presentation on HB 581 Property and Sales Tax Changes Chuck Warbington, City Manager, introduced Peachtree Government Relations, Don Bolia, Principal and Laura Norton, Vice President, presented a Presentation on HB 581 Property and Sales Tax Changes to Council and answered questions. Final Adjournment Motion to adjourn Special Call made by Council Member Thompson, Seconded by Council Member Johnson. Voting Yea: Mayor Still, Council Member Johnson, Council Member Jones, Council Member Thompson, Mayor Pro-Tem Taylor-Crawford Minutes Signatures ________________________ David R. Still, Mayor ________________________ Karen Pierce, City Clerk Peachtree Government Relations City of Lawrenceville HB 581 Overview Our Team - Peachtree Government Relations ● Combined 50 years of experience in government ● Consistently voted one of the top Lobbying Firms of Georgia by JAMES Magazine ○ Principal Don Bolia - Named #1 Top Lobbyist in Georgia - 2020 ● Deep relationships at all levels including Georgia’s Executive Branch, Legislative Branch, and State Agencies ○ Department of Transportation ○ Department of Community Affairs ○ Office of Planning and Budget ● Strong track record on transportation, economic development, appropriations, and enhancing Georgia’s business climate ● Only lobbying firm in Georgia that represents Cities, Counties, School Systems, and businesses before the General Assembly ○ Navigate every political subdivision and lead by building political coalitions 2 Don Bolia, Principal ● Don Bolia is the founder and principal at Peachtree Government Relations. He provides industry leaders with strategic advice on legislative trends and assists them in shaping policy debates at the state, federal, and local levels in Georgia. ● Don manages clients’ relationships before the Georgia General Assembly, as well as numerous city and county governments and agencies. His background and experience give clients an edge in conducting business with local governments. Because of his key relationships at the municipal level, his clients are able to clearly communicate their message to key players. ● Don began his political career working for Congressman Newt Gingrich in Washington D.C. In 1991, he was appointed the Political Director of the Georgia Republican Party. In that capacity, he was directly responsible for managing the GOP’s statewide effort to elect Republicans to the Georgia General Assembly. ● In 1993, Don was appointed Chief of Staff of the Fulton County Commission. During his first weeks in office, Fulton County, Georgia’s most populous county, cut taxes for the first time in a decade and the chairman’s office returned over $180,000 in savings from the chairman’s budget alone. Don was responsible for directing the chairman’s agenda and working with the Board of Commissioners. 3 Don Bolia, Principal ● In 1994, Don was appointed the executive director of the Georgia Republican Party, during an election cycle that saw Republicans win six state-level offices for the first time since reconstruction, including insurance commissioner, superintendent of schools, and a majority of the seats on the Public Service Commission. ● Don was also the president of D&B Communications, a government affairs and public relations firm he founded in 1995. ● In 2005, Don was made the director of Government Affairs for the Atlanta office of Hunton and Williams and in 2007, he was hired as the director of government affairs in the Atlanta office of DLA Piper. ● In 2010, Don founded Peachtree Government Relations. ● In 2017, Don was recognized as one of Georgia's Top Lobbyists by Insider Advantage and was inducted into the Lobbyist Hall of Fame by James Magazine. ● Currently, Don is the Chairman of the Decide DeKalb Development Authority. He is also the Chairman of Joint Development Authority of Metro Atlanta. Don is the former Chairman of the Southeast Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation and currently serves on the advisory board for the Georgia Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation. He also served on the Brookhaven Zoning Board of Appeals. 4 Laura Norton, Vice President ● Laura Norton began her political career in 2002 when she worked as the fundraising assistant on Governor Sonny Perdue’s first gubernatorial campaign. After a victorious campaign in 2002, Norton took a position in fundraising at the Georgia Republican Party. She served two years as the fundraising assistant for the Party and two years as the finance director. During this time, the fundraising team at the Georgia Republican Party posted record numbers. Following her time at the Georgia Republican Party, Norton formed her own company focused on fundraising consulting. ● Laura developed a strong list of clients in Georgia including Former House Speaker Glenn Richardson, then Rules Chairman Earl Ehrhart, Representative Barry Fleming, then State Senator Barry Loudermilk, the House Republican Caucus, a number of PACs and a host of others. ● Laura joined Peachtree Government Relations in 2009 and has enjoyed success in lobbying for a strong clientele. She focuses on furthering clients’ legislative agenda as well as representing their interests at the local level. Laura resides in Smyrna, GA with her two children and her husband, Derek, who serves as the Mayor of Smyrna. 5 Tyler Lewis, Associate ● Tyler was born and raised on the coast in Brunswick, Georgia. Beginning his political career with the Office of Congressman John Lewis, Tyler went on to work in multiple capacities for both elected officials and political campaigns across the state. This included two Congressional Offices, the City of Smyrna, the Brunswick Mayor’s Office, and various others. ● In his government affairs practice, Tyler has specialized in representing local governments and non-profit organizations before the Georgia General Assembly. Tyler has also worked on an array of bills in the K-12 education space, and is heavily involved in initiatives surrounding literacy on both the state level and in local districts. ● Tyler joined Peachtree Government Relations as an Associate in 2022, and later that year was recognized by JAMES Magazine as one of the Top Rising Lobbyists in the State. In addition to his work with PGR, Tyler continues to consult on behalf of campaign and non-profit clients throughout the Southeast. ● Tyler currently resides in Decatur with his fiancee, Shelby, and their two dogs, Zell and Sawyer. When not in Decatur, Tyler is frequently back in his hometown, Brunswick, enjoying the amenities of the coast. 6 Ky Gallagher, Associate ● Ky Gallagher, a passionate advocate for meaningful public policy solutions, has built a distinguished career rooted in legislative analysis and strategic problem-solving. Originally from Savannah, Georgia, Ky has a proven track record of shaping impactful strategies across state and federal government, combining her expertise in policy research, government relations, and stakeholder engagement. Now based in Atlanta, she remains dedicated to advancing initiatives that address challenges and improve community outcomes. ● Ky’s legislative career began in the U.S. House of Representatives, where she conducted comprehensive policy research and led community outreach initiatives. She then transitioned to the Georgia State Senate’s Leadership Office, where she focused on issues including transportation, insurance, labor, healthcare, and agriculture. ● In 2023, Ky joined the Georgia Department of Community Health, where she contributes to developing and executing legislative strategies aimed at addressing critical healthcare needs. ● Ky holds a B.A. in Political Science, with a minor in Sociology from the University of North Georgia. She currently resides in Peachtree Corners, Georgia, with her German Shepherd puppy, Nova. In her free time, Ky enjoys hiking, learning golf and tennis, and visiting family in Savannah. 7 HB 581 Overview ● Passed during the 2024 Georgia General Assembly Legislative Session, HB 581 mandates a statewide floating homestead exemption for all political subdivisions (cities, counties and school systems). This floating homestead exemption would restrict assessment increases on homesteaded property to 3 percent annually beginning on January 1, 2025 pending the passage of a statewide referendum item on the 2024 November ballot. Our team is predicting that voters will overwhelmingly support the ballot measure in November. ● A broad coalition of lobbyists and public officials from cities, counties and school systems worked tirelessly during the 2024 session to lobby for an opt out clause, which was ultimately included in the final iteration of the bill. ○ In order to opt-out of the homestead exemption, political subdivisions are required to host three public hearings, place an ad in both their local newspaper and on their government’s website, and adopt a resolution by March 1, 2025. 8 Floating Homestead Exemptions Explained ● In general, homestead exemptions help to reduce the property taxes on owner-occupied homes. They do so primarily by reducing the assessed value of the property which is the value used by the Tax Commissioner’s Office to calculate property tax bill ● The Fair Market Value is basically defined as the 100% value of a property; that is, it is the value for which an individual would sell their property on the open market. ● The Assessed Value in Georgia is, by statute, 40% of the fair market value. The assessed value is the value used by the Tax Commissioner’s Office to calculate tax bills ● Floating Exemptions are designed to protect taxpayers against swings in the housing market that may result in significant value changes from one year to the next. The formula for calculating the exemption amount for a property with a floating exemption applied is the: ○ (ASSESSED VALUE – BASE YEAR VALUE) + THE HOMESTEAD BASE EXEMPTION. 9 Opt-Out Information ● If the City of Lawrenceville decides to opt out of this homestead exemption, the following procedures must be met prior to March 1, 2025: ○ Advertising of the intent to opt out through conducting at least three public hearings ○ “ …one of which shall commence between the hours of 6:00 P.M. and 7:00 P.M., inclusive, on a business weekday. ● Placing an advertisement in a newspaper of general circulation serving the residents of the political subdivision and posting such advertisement on the City website. ● After submission of the ad, the City must present a press release to local media. ○ It is important to note that the statute specifies that this ad should not be posted where legal ads are posted. 10 Opt-Out Language ● In placing the advertisement, the following language is to be used: ○ “The (name of governing authority) intends to opt out of the statewide adjusted base year ad valorem homestead exemption for (name of the political subdivision). All concerned citizens are invited to the public hearing on this matter to be held at (place of meeting) on (date and time). Times and places of additional public hearings on this matter are at (place of meeting) on (date and time).” ○ Additionally this ad must appear at least one week prior to each hearing, be prominently displayed, be not less than 30 square inches, and not be placed in that section of the newspaper where legal notices appear and shall be posted on the appropriate website at least one week prior to each hearing. In addition to the advertisement specified under this paragraph, the levying or recommending authority may include in the notice reasons or explanations for its intention to opt out of the homestead exemption. 11 Response Options - Opting Out ● The City of Lawrenceville may opt-out of the homestead exemption by following the procedures listed in statute. Our team is ready to work with the City’s Manager and Attorney on public relations strategy utilized by other local governments throughout the state, if requested. ○ Whether the City of Lawrenceville adopts or opts-out of this homestead exemption, the City can still pass additional homestead exemptions/tax cuts for its homeowners through an array of options: Homestead Exemptions Floating Homestead Exemptions Property Tax Freezes ● Depending on what works best for the City, our team can also help in tailoring the preferred tax cut to best fit the vision for Lawrenceville. For example, some cities have mandated an income and age requirement in order to qualify for a homestead exemption. Additionally, homestead exemptions can be reduced tax rates rather than a complete tax-cuts altogether. There is also no cap on how many homestead exemptions a local government may have in place. 12 Response Options - Adoption of Exemption ● In addition, our team can also provide information on how to recover lost revenue from a homestead exemption through revenue generating tools such as: ○ Special Service Districts ○ Community Improvement Districts ○ Tax Allocation Districts 13 Thanks! Questions? Don Bolia Laura Norton don.bolia@peachgr.com laura.norton@peachgr.com 404-314-4844 678-699-6426 Tyler Lewis Ky Gallagher tyler@peachgr.com ky@peachgr.com 912-223-1096 912-713-0402 CREDITS: This presentation template was Slidesgo created by Slidesgo, including icons by Flaticon Flaticon, and infographics & images by Freepik Freepik.