Perdue signs conservation bill

A bill to conserve Georgia's forests now has the Governor's signature. Governor Sonny Perdue says the Georgia Forest Land Protection Act of 2008 allows property owners to receive tax benefits of putting land into a conservation covenant. Perdue says this allows people to keep their land without bearing unfair property taxes.

Forest owners would save under measures

Georgia's forest owners could get property tax cuts under a pair of proposals approved today by the House. Supporters said the plans could reduce property taxes by as much as 50 percent for landowners who agree not to develop their land. Georgia now taxes forests based on their best use. Sponsors say that means tax rates for wooded land near booming residential areas could have tripled over the last few years. The measure changes the tax system by taxing landowners based on the actual use rather than the potential use.