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State revenue up in January
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Gov. Nathan Deal recently announced that Georgia’s net tax collections for the month of January totaled almost $1.81 billion for an increase of $76.25 million, or 4.4 percent, compared to the month-ended January 2013.
Year-to-date, net tax revenue collections totaled $10.9 billion for an increase of nearly $518.5 million, or 5 percent, compared to the same point last year.

Individual income tax
Collections for January totaled $1.07 billion — up from nearly $1.025 billion in January 2013, for an increase of $45 million, or 4.4 percent.
The following notable components combine for the net increase:
• Individual withholding payments for January were up $46 million, or 5.6 percent
• Individual-income tax refunds issued (net of voided checks) were down $10.75 million, or minus-36.8 percent
• All other individual tax categories, including return and estimated payments, were down $11.75 million

Sales and use tax
Gross sales-tax collections declined $32.75 million, or minus-3.4 percent, on account of legislation that replaced the traditional automobile-sales tax with a one-time title tax, while net sales-and-use tax collections for January decreased $20 million, or minus-3.9 percent — down from $518.75 million in January 2013 to nearly $498.75 million this year.
Lastly, refunds were down $12.25 million while the adjusted distribution to local governments totaled $443.75 million, a slight decrease of $0.5 million compared to FY 2013.  

Corporate income tax
Collections for January decreased approximately $6.75 million, or minus-32.8 percent, compared to FY 2013, when corporate-tax revenues totaled $20.75 million.
The following notable components within corporate income tax make up the net decrease:
• Corporate-tax refunds issued (net of voided checks) were up nearly $1.4 million, or 8.5 percent
• Corporate income-tax return payments were down $1.7 million, or minus-41.6 percent
• All other corporate-tax categories, including S-corp and net-worth payments, decreased by $3.7 million.

Tag and title fees
Fee collections for January totaled $85.25 million, which was roughly $56.75 million higher than the previous year before the implementation of House Bill 266.

Tax-reform impacts
HBs 386 and 266 had significant impacts on Georgia’s tax structure that influenced current month and year-to-date revenue collections across multiple tax collection categories. The increase in motor vehicle tag and title fees is the result of the March 1, 2013, implementation of a new title ad valorem tax. Sales tax collections have been impacted by the elimination of the auto-sales tax, reduction in the sales tax on energy used in manufacturing, implementation of the Georgia agricultural tax-exemption program, and reinstatement of the sales-tax holidays. Individual-income tax has been impacted by the marriage-penalty reduction effective Jan. 1, 2013.

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GPA grows trade, market share
Intermodal volume up 20 percent
port photo
Rubber tired gantry cranes handle cargo at the Chatham Intermodal Container Transfer Facility at the Port of Savannah. The Georgia Ports Authority's Mason Mega Rail project will double rail lift capacity to 1 million containers per year by 2020 - photo by Provided

The Georgia Ports Authority achieved 14 percent growth in March container volumes, moving 355,208 20-foot equivalent unit (TEU) containers.

From July 2017 to March, TEU container trade grew by 9 percent, or 255,786 additional units for a total of 3.08 million, a new record for Savannah.

"Savannah's continued strength is a reflection of our customers' commitment, Georgia's leadership, and the many dedicated service providers, GPA employees and ILA members who come together every day to achieve great things," said GPA Executive Director Griff Lynch. "March marked our 17th consecutive month of business expansion thanks, in part, to a strong economy and growing market share."

Intermodal rail volumes jumped by 20 percent in March and 15.4 percent for the fiscal year to date, for a total of 318,454 containers handled over nine months – another record for the GPA.

"As the numbers show, our rail cargo is growing at a faster pace than our overall trade," GPA Chairman Jimmy Allgood said. "This is important because rail is playing a key role in our responsible growth strategy. We anticipate our rail infrastructure investments to take 250,000 trucks off the road each year by 2020."

The GPA recently broke ground on its Mason Mega Rail Terminal, on which the Port of Savannah will build 10,000-foot unit trains within its own footprint. From the expanded rail infrastructure at Garden City Terminal, Class I rail providers CSX and Norfolk Southern will provide direct rail service to major Southeast and Midwestern markets from Memphis to St. Louis, Chicago to Cincinnati.

An added benefit is that the Mason Mega Rail project will move all rail switching on terminal – improving vehicle traffic flow around the port.

In August, the GPA will open its Appalachian Regional Port in Murray County. Located in an industrial belt, including the production and export of carpet and flooring, automobiles and tires, the ARP will provide an alternative to all-truck transit to Northwest Georgia.

Each round-trip container moved via the Appalachian Regional Port will offset 710 truck miles on Georgia highways.

March was also a strong month for roll-on/roll-off auto and machinery units at the Port of Brunswick and Ocean Terminal in Savannah. Colonel's Island Terminal in Brunswick handled 66,144 cars, trucks and tractors, while Ocean Terminal added 4,050, for a total 70,194, a 17.2 percent increase.

"The global economy is thriving and our volumes are following suit," Lynch said. "As existing accounts grow their footprint in the expanding auto facility in Brunswick, Georgia's competitive logistical advantages are drawing additional business across all of our docks."

Lynch noted that for the fiscal year to date, Mayor's Point breakbulk terminal in Brunswick grew by 44 percent (34,515 tons) to reach 112,728 tons of forest products. At East River Terminal, bulk cargo expanded by 34 percent July-March (189,918 tons) for a total of 750,384 tons.

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