ATLANTA – State Representative Shaw Blackmon (R-Bonaire) recently received a 2018 Association of County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) Legislative Service Award. ACCG, Georgia’s county association, recognized Rep. Blackmon for his work on House Bill 329 during the 2018 legislative session.
“I am grateful to ACCG for recognizing me with this award and for the effort that I put into House Bill 329,” said Rep. Blackmon. “This bill seeks to level the playing field between state and local governments and provide much needed revenue to local governments.”
Rep. Blackmon co-sponsored HB 329 during the 2018 legislative session, which reformed the Title Ad Valorem Tax (TAVT) system. The original TAVT formula put into place in 2012 caused total revenues from motor vehicles for counties, cities, and school systems to remain relatively flat, while the state has seen a doubling of its pre-TAVT vehicle revenues. HB 329 is designed to level that playing field between the state and local governments. Beginning in July 2019, local governments will receive 65 percent of total TAVT revenues – up from 51.5 percent in 2018.
“ACCG’s Legislative Service Awards honor legislators who have a demonstrated knowledge of and a commitment to local governments,” said Executive Director Dave Wills. “Their work in the Georgia General Assembly advances issues and produces outcomes which help counties more effectively serve their citizens.”
Each year, ACCG presents Legislative Service Awards to recognize Georgia House and Senate members who work towards fulfilling ACCG’s mission of advancing Georgia’s county governments. The annual awards have gained recognition among elected and appointed officials as a prestigious way to acknowledge Georgia lawmakers for exemplary leadership.
ACCG is Georgia’s county association and works on behalf of county officials and their communities by providing public policy and legislative advocacy, leadership development, civic and community engagement initiatives, insurance and retirement programs that specialize in local government needs and other cost-saving programs. Formed in 1914 when county officials came together to help fund the state’s first highway department, ACCG today serves as a catalyst for advancing Georgia’s counties.
For more information on ACCG, please click here.
Representative Shaw Blackmon represents the citizens of District 146, which includes portions of Houston County. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2015 and currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Higher Education, Vice Chairman of the Insurance Committee and Secretary of the Governmental Affairs Committee. He also serves on the Economic Development & Tourism, Special Rules and Ways and Means committees. He is also a member of the Military Affairs working group.
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