By Columbia County Chamber PAC Guest Columnist
Advocacy can mean many things to different people, depending on your perspective. From the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce’s point of view, advocacy means supporting legislation and other governmental actions that encourage a strong business climate and promote economic growth.
Advocacy can include media campaigns, public speaking, commissioning and publishing research or filing an amicus brief. Lobbying – often performed by lobby groups – is a form of advocacy where a direct approach is made to legislators on an issue.
The Columbia County Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors on Sept. 13 approved the creation of a new organization called the Columbia County Chamber PAC (Political Action Committee) to take the advocacy role to a higher level on state and local matters.
In the interest of our 1,000-plus members in the greater Augusta area, the chamber has a duty to express the views and interests on matters impacting the local community. The chamber's legislative agenda emphasizes six key areas: Economic Development; Transportation and Infrastructure; Education, Technology and Workforce Development; Taxes and Tax Reform; Healthcare and Medical; and Water Management and Environment.
On the Nov. 6 ballot, voters will be presented several bills for consideration. Early voting begins Oct. 15, 2018.
The chamber supports three questions on the ballot:
1. Statewide business court: This would create a statewide business court in the lower costs to enhance efficiency and promote predictable judicial outcomes. Complex and time-consuming business litigation cases would be heard by legal professionals with business expertise, and lawsuits would be judged in a court of business peers rather than a jury of summoned citizens.
2. Redevelopment powers: If approved, Columbia County could exercise powers under the “Redevelopment Powers Law” to promote privately-funded redevelopment efforts in specifically designated areas. Such powers do not create or increase taxes in a designated area, but merely allocate collections into special fund to assist with redevelopment costs, including land acquisition, organization and professional service costs, and debt service on bonds and capitalized interest.
3. Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Act: This would create a trust fund to protect water quality, wildlife habitat, and state and local parks by authorizing the state to dedicate up to 80 percent of the existing sales and use tax on outdoor sporting goods for land conservation. Collections would be used to support state parks and trails as well as provide stewardship of conservation lands and fund land acquisition to preserve outdoor recreation, wildlife habitat and buffers for military installations.
Another ballot question is the “Brunch Bill.” Currently, restaurants may not serve alcoholic beverages until 12:30 p.m. on Sundays. The ballot question – if passed – would allow restaurants to serve alcohol starting at 11 a.m. Although the chamber did not take a position on the bill, it supported the legislation to get it on the ballot for public vote.
The Columbia County Chamber's PAC allows the chamber to raise funds for signage, advertisements and other advocacy-related expenses independent of the chamber. Previously, the chamber was unable to make such expenses. An example where this limited the chamber's effectiveness was during its 2012 support of the Transportation Investment Act – also known as TIA and T-SPLOST. Fortunately, the Georgia Transportation Alliance was able to handle those activities.
Under the new PAC, the Columbia County Chamber plans to fully support the aforementioned ballot questions, particularly the redevelopment powers law. The citizen-granted powers, already present in more than four-dozen Georgia communities, would promote privately-funded redevelopment in Columbia County by establishing a special fund to help encourage such development.
The PAC’s Board of Directors, comprised of representatives from local businesses, fully supports redevelopment powers based upon these advantages: there is no property tax abatement or property tax increase; it leverages public and private investment; it creates a strategic financing tool; and it is not a general obligation debt or a loss of current property tax revenues.
To view your specific Georgia ballot, click mvp.sos.ga.gov/MVP/mvp.do.
And for more information on the PAC, visit columbiacountychamber. com/ChamberPAC.
The Columbia County Chamber PAC’s Board of Directors includes: Chairman Reagan Williams, Meybohm Real Estate; Vice Chairwoman Pat Goodwin, Blanchard and Calhoun; Treasurer William Cleveland, Cleveland Group CPAs; Robbie Moore, Blanchard and Calhoun Insurance; Ed Burr, University Hospital; Aubrey Nesbitt, Zaxby’s; and Brandon Haddock, Textron Specialized Vehicles.