ATLANTA - Were it up to him, Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers would eliminate property taxation altogether in favor of a sales tax system. But since he said there isn't the political will for that sweeping measure, the Republican senator who represents Cobb and Cherokee counties proposed Monday more than 40 changes to the property tax system.

Rogers is also sponsoring legislation he believes will stimulate Georgia's economy by providing tax credits, cuts and incentives to create, expand and attract new businesses.

Property tax changes:

The collection of taxes, he said, should be fair, transparent and easy to understand, but Georgia's property tax system is none of those things.

"During my eight years, I have never witnessed an issue where everyone agreed the current system is broken. We have had hundreds of suggestions for change. The more than 40 changes represented in this bill represent the will of the people and will bring needed relief to property owners," he said.

Changes to the assessment and appeals system include year-round assessment appeals as opposed to the 30-day period property owners have to file an appeal.

Rogers said tax assessors sometimes ignore foreclosures and bank sales, thereby creating an artificially high value when the entire neighborhood isn't considered so. They do this, he said, to keep the values from falling so the government doesn't lose money. His bill requires that all comparable sales be included in assessments.

The legislation eliminates the "view factor" as a way to determine value. Market prices are sufficient to determine true value, not a tax assessor standing on someone's property and subjectively determining what it's worth, he said.

Rogers would also require every property owner to receive an annual notice of assessment. This is important because without receiving a notice, a property owner can't appeal, he said.

It's just wrong," he said.

He would also require statewide uniformity of assessment notices and appeal forms as opposed to the 159 different ones that currently exist.

Counties would also be permitted to accept payment plans for property taxes. And the government would have a time limit in which to respond to appeals, something it doesn't have, he said.

Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle praised Rogers' Property Tax Assessment and Appeals Reform Bill, saying some Georgians are taxed more than the value of their homes with the appeals process often daunting and confusing.

"Georgians do not pay higher taxes when the value of their cars decrease and property taxes should be no different. Today we are taking the first step to bring real changes and our goal is simple: increased transparency and fairness to a system that is broken," Cagle said.

The JOBS Act

With the state's budget down 25 percent from slightly more than $20 billion two years ago to $15 billion now, Rogers said the only way to turn the slump around is to grow the economy. The challenge is to shrink the unemployment rate down from its 10.2 percent to where it was a few years ago at 5 percent, he said.

"If we don't get back to that point, if we don't grow our economy, if we don't put people back to work, if we aren't creating wealth, then we're going to be in this situation again next year and the year after that and the year after that," he said.

To that end, he has teamed up with state Rep. Tom Graves (R-Ranger) to sponsor the Jobs, Opportunity, and Business Success Act of 2010.

Gov. Sonny Perdue vetoed similar legislation last year, but Bert Brantley, Perdue's spokesman, said Graves and Perdue have had "very productive discussions" about the proposal since then.

"While we will watch the bills closely as they work through the process, the more expensive elements of last year's bill have been triggered to take place when the state can better afford them," Brantley said. "This obviously addresses a major concern from last year, and the governor looks forward to continued cooperation with the House and Senate as we all work to position Georgia as a leader in economic recovery."

The JOBS Act contains eight initiatives designed to spur job creation and recognize the private sector, not government, as the driving economic force to recovery, Rogers said.

The act is comprised of two pieces of legislation, House Bill 1023 and House Bill 1024.

Critics ask how the state can afford to provide tax cuts in a down economy.

"My response is, how can the state not afford to do what it takes to grow the economy, because we see what a shrinking economy does," Rogers said.

HB 1023 allows Georgians to start a new business with no state fees, waiving incorporation fees. And the legislation offers tax credits to investors of new businesses. The income tax credits would be available after two years of investment. This total "Angel Investor" tax credit pool would be limited to $10 million per year, adjusted for inflation, he said.

The legislation also allows a company to receive a quarterly credit towards its unemployment tax for each eligible employee hired who is receiving state unemployment benefits.

Moreover, companies that hire and keep employed for 24 months someone who has been out of work for more than a month are eligible for a $2,400 tax credit.

The legislation eliminates the Net Worth Tax, a tax Rogers said is a hold over from the 1930s that is not based on a company's income but on its accumulated wealth.

And the bill calls for a triggered 50 percent reduction of the Capital Gains Tax for all taxpayers. Georgia has the 15th highest Capital Gains tax in the country, he said.