Legislation Aims to Stop Clayton County from Taxing Airport Vendors
A bill making its way through the Georgia Senate right now would stop Clayton County from taxing vendors at the Atlanta Airport. But county officials say creating a new law will not necessarily stop it.
Since 2010, Clayton County has collected more than $10 dollars in ad valorem taxes from airport vendors. Just two years ago, the county lost tax revenue when the state gave Delta Airlines tax breaks on fuel.
Now a new bill aims to remove the county’s right to tax the vendors. And Clayton County Tax Commissioner Terry Baskin says that’s not fair. Baskin told WABE, “It’s just like me digging a trench in your backyard and saying, “Anything that’s in your area here, you can’t tax.’”An audio version of this story
At issue is whether the vendors are subject to the taxes even if they are not full-fledged lessees and do not have total control over the spaces they use at the airport.
State Rep. David Knight (R-Griffin), a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), helped draft the bill. He says he has heard plenty about how the bill will hurt Clayton County, but he says that’s not the point. “This is not about politics. And this is not about a government and its tax revenues,” said Knight.” This is about how we tax property owners and taxpayers in the State of Georgia, and that’s my concern.”
The bill passed the House handily and is now making its way through the Senate. Tax Commissioner Baskin says the county will continue to tax the vendors, law or no law, until the case is settled in court.
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