TITLE 48 REVENUE AND TAXATION

Section 7. Income Taxes, 48-7-1 through 48-7-170.

ARTICLE 2 IMPOSITION, RATE, AND COMPUTATION; EXEMPTIONS

48-7-31.1. Conditions for allocating taxpayer's income pursuant to agreement; public inspection; criteria for evaluating proposals.

1. For purposes of paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (d) of Code Section 48-7-31, the commissioner may enter into an agreement with a taxpayer establishing the allocation and apportionment of the taxpayer's income for a limited period, provided that the following conditions are met:
   1. The taxpayer is planning a new facility in the State of Georgia or an expansion of an existing facility;
   2. The taxpayer submits a proposal asking the commissioner to enter into a contract under this Code section requesting a different allocation and apportionment method and stating the reasons for such proposal; and
   3. Following the commissioner's referral of the proposal to a panel composed of the commissioner of community affairs, the commissioner of economic development, and the director of the Office of Planning and Budget, said panel, after reviewing the proposal, certifies that:
      1. The new facility or expansion will have a significant beneficial economic effect on the region for which it is planned; and
      2. The benefits to the public from the new facility or expansion exceed its costs to the public.
2. The following records shall constitute public records that are open for inspection under the provisions of Article 4 of Chapter 18 of Title 50:
   1. Proposals submitted by taxpayers under this Code section or under any prior Code section that allowed taxpayers to enter into a contract or agreement with the commissioner to use a different allocation method, a different apportionment method, or both; and
   2. Any agreement or contract entered into as a result of such proposal.
3. Taxpayers' tax information from any state or federal income tax return contained in records subject to disclosure pursuant to subsection (b) of this Code section which would otherwise be privileged or protected from disclosure by law shall be deleted or redacted from records made available for public inspection.
4. In evaluating proposals pursuant to subsection (a) of this Code section, the panel shall not determine that a proposal has significant beneficial economic effect on the region for which it is planned unless two or more of the following criteria are met:
   1. The proposal creates new full-time jobs that meet the requirements contained in Regulations 110-9-1-.01, 110-9-1-.02, and 110-9-1-.03 of the Department of Community Affairs, relating to job tax credits, with average wages which are, as determined by the Georgia Department of Labor for all jobs for the county in question:
      1. Twenty percent above such average wage for projects located in tier 1 counties;
      2. Ten percent above such average wage for projects located in tier 2 counties; or
      3. Five percent above such average wage for projects located in tier 3 or tier 4 counties;
   2. The project invests in qualified investment property, as defined in Regulation 560-7-8-.37 of the department, which is valued at over $10 million in tier 1 counties, over $35 million in tier 2 counties, and over $75 million in tier 3 or tier 4 counties. Past investment will not be considered;
   3. The proposal creates a minimum of 50 new full-time jobs that meet the requirements contained in Regulations 110-9-1-.01, 110-9-1-.02, and 110-9-1-.03 of the Department of Community Affairs, relating to job tax credits, in a tier 1 county, 150 such jobs in a tier 2 county, or 300 such jobs in a tier 3 or tier 4 county; or
   4. The proposal demonstrates high growth potential based upon the prior year's Georgia net taxable income growth of over 20 percent from the previous year, if the company's Georgia net taxable income in each of the two preceding years also grew by 20 percent or more.

(Code 1981, §48-7-31.1, enacted by Ga. L. 2001, p. 984, § 6; Ga. L. 2002, p. 372, § 5; Ga. L. 2004, p. 690, § 18.)