§ 20-2-164 — Local five mill share funds

(a) The State Board of Education shall calculate the amount of local five mill share funds that each local school system shall be required to spend each fiscal year to participate in the Quality Basic Education Program as follows: (1) Unless the combined local five mill share total for all local school systems in the state, when calculated pursuant to this paragraph, exceeds 20 percent of the sum of the Quality Basic Education Formula amounts, as calculated pursuant to subsection (d) of Code Section 20-2-161 , the amount of each local school system's local five mill share shall be calculated as follows: (A) Determine the most recent equalized adjusted school property tax digest for the local school system less the amount attributable to timber calculated pursuant to paragraph (2) of subsection (b) of Code Section 48-5-274 , multiply the difference by .4, and add to that product the amount attributable to timber calculated pursuant to paragraph (2) of subsection (b) of Code Section 48-5-274 ; (B) From the amount calculated in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph deduct the total amount calculated pursuant to subsection (g) of this Code section; and (C) Multiply the remainder calculated in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph by .005; or (2) If the combined local five mill share total for all local school systems in this state, when calculated pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection, exceeds 20 percent of the sum of the Quality Basic Education Formula amounts, as calculated pursuant to subsection (d) of Code Section 20-2-161 , then the amount of each local system's five mill share shall be calculated as follows: (A) Multiply the total amount of Quality Basic Education Formula amounts to be expended for all local school systems combined, as calculated for each local school system pursuant to Code Section 20-2-161 , by .2; (B) Divide the product calculated in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph by the sum of the local five mill share amounts for all local school systems in this state as calculated for each local school system pursuant to subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) of this subsection; (C) Multiply the amount calculated in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph by .005; and (D) Multiply the product calculated in subparagraph (C) of this paragraph by the remainder calculated in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of this subsection. (b) (1) Each local school system shall apply the total amount of its local five mill share funds to programs funded under this article and in the manner so earned as indicated on the allotment sheets as provided by the State Board of Education; provided, however, that no portion of the local five mill share funds is applied to the financing of educational programs and services operated at the option of the local school system or for any grant program which explicitly excludes the application of local funds or which explicitly requires an application of local funds other than from the local five mill share. (2) The local school system may apply revenues toward the local five mill share from any source except: funds derived from the federal government which were not designed to replace local tax revenues; state funds; student tuition and fees; funds transferred from another local unit of administration; and other sources specifically prohibited by provisions of this article; provided, however, that an independent school system may apply appropriations from the taxing authority of its municipal government. (c) (1) The state auditor shall furnish to the State Board of Education the equalized adjusted school property tax digests in accordance with Code Section 48-5-274 . (2) Except as provided in subsection (b) of Code Section 20-2-162 , the sums of the most recent equalized adjusted school property tax digests shall be used to make the calculations required by subsection (a) of this Code section for each fiscal year. (d) Each municipality having an independent school system and each county government shall annually provide the Department of Revenue with the following information for each local school system within its jurisdiction: (1) The total number of granted state-wide constitutional homestead exemptions for occupied homes pursuant to Code Section 48-5-44 exclusive of those homestead exemptions provided pursuant to Code Sections 48-5-47 , 48-5-48 , and 48-5-52 ; (2) The total number of granted state-wide constitutional homestead exemptions for disabled veterans pursuant to Code Section 48-5-48 ; (3) The amounts of tax and nontax revenues by source which have been distributed by said local government to local school systems for educational maintenance and operation; provided, further, that if the total tax revenues collected by a municipal government exceed the amount of all revenues distributed to its school system, the total amount of tax revenues collected by the municipal government shall also be submitted to the Department of Revenue. Such data shall be submitted to the Department of Revenue no later than the date required for the submission of the local tax digests to the Department of Revenue; and (4) The difference between the actual assessed valuation of agricultural property and the valuation that would be assessed if all agricultural property were assessed at 40 percent of its fair market value as provided in Code Section 48-5-7 ; provided, however, that if the taxing authority of a local school system assesses property at a legal standard other than 40 percent of fair market value, the actual assessed valuation used in this calculation shall be reduced to represent the amount which would be assessed if the jurisdiction assessed property at 40 percent of fair market value. (e) The Department of Revenue shall annually verify, certify as correct, and furnish the State Board of Education with the following data for each local school system by November 15: (1) All tax and nontax revenues by source for the preceding fiscal year which were distributed for educational maintenance and operation; provided, however, such tax and nontax revenues shall exclude any state revenue collections which were previously distributed to the state general fund and then appropriated or allocated to local school systems; and provided, further, that if the total tax revenues collected by a municipal government exceed the amount of all revenues which it distributed to its school system, the total amount of revenues distributed to the school system shall be designated as tax revenues in the report of the Department of Revenue to the state board; (2) The number of exemptions granted for state-wide constitutional homestead exemptions for owner occupied homes pursuant to Code Section 48-5-44 , exclusive of those homestead exemptions provided pursuant to Code Sections 48-5-47 , 48-5-48 , and 48-5-52 , for the preceding calendar year; (3) The number of exemptions granted for state-wide constitutional homestead exemptions for disabled veterans pursuant to Code Section 48-5-48 for the preceding calendar year; and (4) The difference between the actual assessed valuation of agricultural property and the valuation that would be assessed if all agricultural property were assessed at 40 percent of its fair market value as provided in Code Section 48-5-7 , adjusted pursuant to paragraph (4) of subsection (d) of this Code section. (f) The Office of Planning and Budget shall annually furnish to the State Board of Education the estimated number of individuals age 65 or older residing in each local school system and the estimated percent that such individuals are of the total population for each local school system. The Office of Planning and Budget shall furnish all information requested by the General Assembly regarding the procedure for estimating this percent. (g) For purposes of calculation under this Code section and Code Section 20-2-165 , the equalized adjusted school property tax digest, adjusted by paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of this Code section, shall be reduced by the sum of the following products: (1) The product of the number of constitutional homestead exemptions for owner occupied homes pursuant to Code Section 48-5-44 granted for that year, exclusive of those homestead exemptions provided pursuant to Code Sections 48-5-47 , 48-5-48 , and 48-5-52 , multiplied by the amount per exemption authorized under Code Section 48-5-44 ; provided, further, that in any city operating an independent school system which provides a homestead exemption through local legislation comparable to that provided in Code Section 48-5-44 , the product calculated in this paragraph shall represent the number of homestead exemptions provided through the applicable local legislation multiplied by the amount per exemption authorized in Code Section 48-5-44 , or by the amount per exemption authorized in the applicable local legislation, whichever is less; and provided, further, that if the amount per exemption authorized in Code Section 48-5-44 has been changed subsequent to the year of the applicable digest, the more recently adopted amount per exemption shall be used for the product calculated in this paragraph; (2) The product of the number of constitutional homestead exemptions for disabled veterans pursuant to Code Section 48-5-48 granted for that year, multiplied by the amount per exemption authorized under that Code section; provided, further, that in any city operating an independent school system which provides a homestead exemption through local legislation comparable to that provided in Code Section 48-5-48 , the product calculated in this paragraph shall represent the number of homestead exemptions provided through the applicable local legislation multiplied by the amount per exemption authorized in the applicable local legislation, whichever is less; and provided, further, that if the amount per exemption authorized in Code Section 48-5-48 has been changed subsequent to the year of the applicable digest, the more recently adopted amount per exemption shall be used for the product calculated in this paragraph; (3) The product of the estimated number of persons age 65 or older residing in the local school system during that year multiplied by 5,000; (4) The product which results from the following calculations: (A) Subtract the estimated state-wide percentage that persons age 65 or older is of the total population, excluding military personnel and institutional population, from the respective percentage for the local school system. If the respective percentage for the local school system is less than the state-wide percentage, a difference of zero shall be used in the calculations in this paragraph; (B) Multiply the difference which results from subparagraph (A) of this paragraph by 1,000; and (C) Multiply the product which results from subparagraph (B) of this paragraph by the estimated number of persons age 65 or older residing in the local school system during that year; and (5) The product which results from the following calculations: (A) Divide the amount reported in paragraph (4) of subsection (e) of this Code section by the average ratio of assessed value to true value used to calculate the most recent equalized adjusted school property tax digest pursuant to Code Section 48-5-274 ; and (B) Multiply the quotient which results from subparagraph (A) of this paragraph by .4. (h) In the event a local school system fails to provide for or to use the amount of local funds required to be raised and applied by the local school system in order to participate in the Quality Basic Education Program as defined by this article during any fiscal year, the State Board of Education shall calculate the total amount of such funds and add that amount to the local five mill share being required of the local school system for an ensuing fiscal year. Further, should the state auditor cite an audit exception which requires that a local school system return an amount of funds to the state general fund, the state board shall add said amount to the local five mill share of the local school system for an ensuing fiscal year if the state board has not been provided documentation that the amount has already been paid to the state general fund. Such additions will thereby reduce the amount of state funds which shall be allotted to such local school systems. If a local school system does not fulfill its obligation to provide a local five mill share or to comply with any other provisions of this article for any fiscal year, the state board may withhold any portion or all of the state funds to be allotted during the current or an ensuing fiscal year.

Legislative History

Amended by 2002 Ga. Laws 462, § 20, eff. 4/18/2002.