County Legislative Delegation Says Shift Could Cost The County Millions In Funding

The Clayton County, GA legislative delegation is opposing a change in an FAA policy that would end the diversion of millions in fuel taxes to the county general fund.

The FAA last year announced a change in its policy that would require any taxes collected on aviation fuel to be used only for aviation projects, ending the diversion to local governments for other uses. In Clayton County, the delegation says the change could cost the county nearly $20 million it currently receives and distributes to the seven cities in the county and local school districts.

At a meeting of the legislative delegation and city leaders last week, Lake City, GA City Manager Chris Leighty said that losing the fuel tax revenues would be "devastating not only to this county but the cities."

Hartsfield Jackson International Airport is located in Clayton County, but is owned and operated by the city of Atlanta. Clayton school board member Jessie Goree said that the "largest losers will be students," according to a report in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The meeting last Wednesday was the first of two that the delegation will hold to set priorities for the legislative session.

State Representative Valencia Stovall, chair of the Clayton delegation, told the paper in an interview after the meeting that the delegation will have to take an "aggressive" approach to finding solutions "that will be best for Georgia and Clayton."

FMI: www.legis.ga.gov