Savannah Chamber backs $10 trauma-care fee

Savannah Morning News

Although early voting is under way, only one hand went up when Trip Tollison asked Chamber of Commerce members and guests gathered at the October Small Business Council SMART Lunch series whether they'd voted yet.

As vice president of the Chamber's Existing Industry and Government Affairs division, Tollison discussed its role with the approximately 75 people gathered Tuesday in the Savannah Morning News auditorium.

"We're the link between the business community and government," he said. "Although on occasion we go to Washington, D.C., we're constantly in Atlanta making sure local business interests are being served."

With five state constitutional amendments and one statewide referendum on this fall's ballot, he gave a brief synopsis of what each one meant but focused mainly on legislation on which the Chamber has taken an official stance.

"Officially, the Savannah Area Chamber endorses Amendment Two on the ballot and the repeal of the statewide inventory tax. We have not officially taken positions on the rest of the amendments," he said.

Amendment Two proposes a $10 fee on car tags to fund an improvement of the statewide trauma-care system.

"Georgia currently has only four level-one trauma centers - Memorial Health, Macon, Augusta and Atlanta," Tollison said.

He said motor vehicle crashes are the most common type of trauma that causes death and are the leading cause of death in people age 44 and younger.

He shared other statistics:

-- Georgia's trauma death rate is 20 percent higher than the national average (700 more deaths per year).

-- Georgia has 16 trauma care centers but needs 30.

-- Only 30 percent of injuries are treated at trauma centers.

-- The "golden hour" is 60 minutes for adults and 30 minutes for children.

"Distance to a trauma center is a life-and-death issue," he said. "And with this amendment, every dime goes to trauma care."

Proposed ballot amendments and statewide referendum

Amendment 1
Allows competitive contracts to be enforced in Georgia courts.
"Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to make Georgia more economically competitive by authorizing legislation to uphold reasonable competitive agreements?"

Amendment 2
Adds $10 tag fee on private passenger vehicles to fund statewide trauma-care expansion.
"Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to impose an annual $10 trauma charge on certain passenger motor vehicles in this state for the purpose of funding trauma care?"

Amendment 3
Allows the state to execute multiyear contracts for long-term transportation projects.
"Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to allow the Georgia Department of Transportation to enter into multiyear construction agreements without requiring appropriations in the current fiscal year for the total amount of payments that would be due under the entire agreement so as to reduce long-term construction costs paid by the state?"

Amendment 4
Allows the State to execute multiyear contracts for projects to improve energy efficiency and conservation.
"Shall the Constitution be amended so as to provide for guaranteed cost savings for the state by authorizing a state entity to enter into multiyear contracts which obligate state funds for energy efficiency or conservation improvement projects?"

Amendment 5
Allows owners of industrial-zoned property to choose to remove the industrial designation from their property.
"Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to allow the owners of real property located in industrial areas to remove the property from the industrial area?"

Referendum A
Provides for inventory of businesses to be exempt from state property tax.
"Shall the Act be approved which grants an exemption from state ad valorem taxation for inventory of a business?"