Ga. voters deny fees to fund trauma centers

ATLANTA – A proposal to add a $10 fee to fund trauma centers statewide failed during Tuesday’s election.

The fee would be added to the cost of yearly license plate registration. Nearly 53 percent of voters opposed the measure.

The fee was one of five proposed amendments to the state constitution decided by voters on Tuesday.

Voters approved a measure that allows so-called “reasonable competitive agreements” to be upheld. More than 67 percent of voters cast ballots in favor of the measure.

Another proposal that would have allowed the state’s transportation department “to enter into multi-year construction agreements without requiring appropriations in the current fiscal year” barely failed with 50.1 percent of voters opposing the plan.

In a fourth measure, voters agreed to allow state agencies “to enter into multi-year contracts which obligate state funds for energy efficiency or conservation improvement projects.”

In the fifth and final amendment to the state constitution, voters agreed to let the owners of select properties around Savannah that are “located in industrial areas” to remove the properties’ industrial designations.

Lastly, as part of a statewide referendum, voters agreed that businesses should not have to pay taxes on inventory sitting on a warehouse shelf. Fifty-four percent of voters agreed to the referendum.