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Georgia Energy Project Contracts, Amendment 4 appeared on the November 2, 2010 ballot in Georgia as a legislatively-referred constitutional amendment where it was approved.

The measure authorized state multiyear contracts for energy efficiency and conservation projects.^[1][2]

Election results

See also: 2010 ballot measure election results

Amendment 4 (Energy Project Contracts)
Result		Votes	Percentage
a Yes		1,480,273	60.8%
No		954,448	39.2%
Total votes		2,434,721	100.00%
Voter turnout		%

Official results obtained from the Georgia Secretary of State.

Text of measure

Title

The ballot question read as follows:^[3]

Shall the Constitution be amended so as to provide for guaranteed cost savings for the state by authorizing a state entity to enter into multiyear contracts which obligate state funds for energy efficiency or conservation improvement projects?

(__) Yes

(__) No

Support

Taxpayers for Energy Efficiency, in support of Amendment 4, launched their media campaign in mid-September 2010. The measure was supported by a group of clean-energy businesses and environmental advocates, according to reports. "Amendment 4 is a win-win proposal that will...create more than 11,000 jobs and make Georgia a more energy efficient state," said Jason Rooks, the group’s director and president of Clean Energy Strategies LLC.^[4]

Tactics and strategies

Taxpayers for Energy Efficiency launched the "Yes to Amendment 4" campaign on September 21, 2010. The launch included a website and a Facebook page.^[5]

Media editorial positions

See also: Endorsements of Georgia ballot measures, 2010

Support

• Savannah Morning News supported Amendment 4. The editorial board said, "While the net result of this would maintain today's energy spending level until the retrofit is paid off, the state would see a long-term benefit in newer, more efficient equipment that is less costly to run and cheaper to maintain. Other benefits include reduced demand for electricity (largely provided by coal-burning plants in Georgia), and a new source of business for the tradesmen needed to install the new equipment."^[6]

• Creative Loafing said, "This amendment would allow the state to pay for energy-efficiency improvements by entering into multiyear agreements with contractors. Future savings in energy would be used to pay off the debt. It's a no-brainer that could help save taxpayers millions of dollars, clean up the environment and create an estimated 11,000 well-paying jobs."^[7]

Path to the ballot

See also: How the Georgia Constitution is amended

In order to qualify the proposed constitutional amendment for the 2010 ballot, the measure required two-thirds approval in both the House and Senate. The measure was approved by the Senate on April 29, 2010 and by the House on April 27. The measure was submitted to the governor on May 4, 2010.^[8]

See also

• 2010 ballot measures
• Georgia 2010 ballot measures

External links

• Proposed Constitutional Amendments and State-Wide Referendum Question prepared by the Georgia Secretary of State's office.
• SR 1231 summary
• SR 1231 full text

Campaign links

• Yes to Amendment 4 (support)

Additional reading

• Examiner,"Amendment Four: Multi-year contracts for energy efficiency, conservation?," October 24, 2010
• Atlanta Progressive News,"APN Overview of Proposed 2010 Georgia Amendments 3 and 4," October 22, 2010
• The Blackshear Times,"Pay attention to constitutional amendments on the ballot," October 6, 2010

References

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