Stamp of approval

Gov. Sonny Perdue OKs transportation spending and signs bills freezing property assessments and establishing a sales-tax holiday this summer.

TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS

Gov. Sonny Perdue has OK'd spending $187 million in additional federal stimulus funds for transportation, including $725,000 for a bike-pedestrian facility that is part of the city of Waynesboro's Greenway Project and $3.7 million for bridge work in Grovetown on Georgia Highway 223 over Euchee Creek.

Mr. Perdue authorized the 51 projects Monday in a letter to federal officials. His office released the list Tuesday along with a statement.

"These projects touch nearly every corner of our state and include some needed bridge repairs, resurfacing projects and another critical piece of the Fall Line Freeway," Mr. Perdue in the statement.

That makes more than 100 projects to use nearly all of the state's share of transportation money approved by Congress in President Obama's stimulus package.

Its aim is to quickly create jobs by funding road-building projects that can be started by June 30.

Mr. Perdue approved only projects that met both the federal guidelines for quick job creation and that were already included on the state's five-year transportation plan.

Of those in the latest batch of approved projects, the largest is $29 million for road resurfacing in Cobb County, and the smallest is $128,000 for a bike-pedestrian facility in Lee County.

PROPERTY ASSESSMENTS

Property assessments in Georgia cannot rise until 2011 under a bill Mr. Perdue signed Wednesday.

Supporters say the new law will prevent local governments from raising assessments during an economic downturn that has driven down many property values. But critics say it could lead counties and cities to boost millage instead, meaning tax bills will rise either way.

The law applies to commercial and residential properties and is effective immediately. The moratorium applies to tax bills for 2009-2011. Assessments can go down during that period, meaning foreclosures and the depressed real estate market might cause property values to dip.

TAX-FREE DAYS

Georgia shoppers will be able to buy school supplies, clothing, footwear and computers without paying state tax for four days this summer.

Mr. Perdue has signed legislation that will remove the state tax for back-to-school shoppers from Thursday, July 30, to Sunday, Aug. 2.

The bill also removes the state sales tax from water and energy efficient products from Oct. 1-4. The tax break applies to products that cost $1,500 or less purchased for noncommercial home or personal use.