Georgia § 48-8-269 - 45. Notice to local officials; approval or denial of projects; requirements for resolution.

§ 48-8-269. 45. Notice to local officials; approval or denial of projects; requirements for resolution.

Any county qualified to levy a tax pursuant to paragraph (2) of subsection (b) of Code Section 48-8-269.41 shall deliver or mail a written notice to the mayor or chief elected official in each qualified municipality located within the special district prior to the issuance of the call for the referendum. Such notice shall contain the date, time, place, and purpose of a meeting at which the governing authorities of the county and of each qualified municipality are to meet to discuss possible transit projects from the regional transit plan for inclusion in the referendum and the rate of tax. The notice shall be delivered or mailed at least ten days prior to the date of the meeting. The meeting shall be held at least 60 days prior to any issuance of the call for the referendum. At the meeting the county and all qualified municipalities may select transit projects for the county from the regional transit plan to be funded by the proceeds of the tax authorized by this article. Following the meeting required by subsection (a) of this Code section, the county shall deliver or mail a written notice to the authority of the intent to call for a referendum to impose the tax authorized by this article. Such notice shall include a list of transit projects located within such county chosen from the regional transit plan which the county intends to fund with proceeds from the tax authorized under this article and the proposed operator of any such transit projects if such project or projects are services which require an operator. Upon receipt of such notice from a county, the authority shall approve or deny any or all projects within a submitted transit project list and the proposed operator of any transit projects if such project or projects are services which require an operator. In making a determination upon whether to approve transit projects, the authority shall take into consideration any other transit projects the authority has approved for any neighboring counties, any transit projects in progress in any neighboring counties, and any additional federal or state funding that may be available for any projects. The authority shall make a determination and send notification to a county approving or denying the submitted transit projects and operators, if applicable, no later than 20 days from the receipt of such list. As soon as practicable after receipt of notice from the authority, the governing authority of the county desiring to call for a referendum shall, by a majority vote on a resolution offered for such purpose, submit the list of transit projects and the question of whether the tax should be approved to electors of the special district in the next scheduled election and shall notify the county election superintendent within the special district by forwarding to the superintendent a copy of such resolution calling for the imposition of the tax. Such list, or a digest thereof, shall be available during regular business hours in the office of the county clerk. The resolution authorized by paragraph (1) of this subsection shall describe or identify: The specific transit projects to be funded which shall have been selected from the regional transit plan and approved by the authority; The approximate cost of such transit projects; The operator selected for any transit project or projects proposed if such project or projects are services which require an operator; and The maximum period of time, to be stated in calendar years, for which the tax may be imposed and the rate thereof. The maximum period of time for the imposition of the tax shall not exceed 30 years. (Code 1981, § 48-8-269.45 , enacted by Ga. L. 2018, p. 377, § 1-3/HB 930.)