Nov. 19 - Amendment 1 Vote is Big Win for Georgia's Outdoors

Category: Local Govts & Politics

Savannah Business Journal Staff Report

November 19, 2018 - Nearly 83 percent of voters supported the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Amendment, approving the Nov. 6 measure by more than 3.1 million votes to just under 651,500.

The Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Coalition celebrated the vote on its Twitter feed, “A Win for 1! A Victory for Georgia's Land and Water! At the ballot, Georgia voters overwhelmingly supported the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Amendment - our state's first dedicated fund for conservation. Thank you to everyone who voted, contributed, and spread the word!”

Amendment 1 authorizes the state to dedicate for land conservation up to 80 percent of existing sales taxes on outdoor sporting goods. Passage will provide an estimated $20 million a year to acquire, protect and improve lands critical for clean water, native wildlife and public recreation.

According to the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Amendment's website - it will:

• Protect lands critical to clean drinking water and the quality of Georgia’s lakes, rivers and streams
• Support community efforts to build parks and trails
• Maintain and create new places to hunt and fish
• Support Georgia’s $27 billion outdoor recreation industry and the jobs created by it and other economic sectors that rely upon access to land and water
• Dedicate over $20 million annually that cannot be used for any other purpose and will be subject to strict accountability provisions, including full public disclosure of all expenditures