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Dave Williams  |  Capitol Beat News ServiceReal estate investor headed to prison in Atlanta fraud schemeBy Dave WilliamsBureau ChiefCapitol Beat News ServiceATLANTA - The head of a commercial real estate investment firm has been sentenced to 87 months in prison and ordered to pay $45 million in restitution in a fraud scheme involving the Atlanta Financial Center in Buckhead.Elchonon (Elie) Schwartz, 46, of New York City pleaded guilty in February to one count of wire fraud. Schwartz convinced more than 800 investors to send him $62.8 million, including $54 million...

Ty Tagami  |  Capitol Beat News ServiceHow do billionaires avoid paying taxes? Here's what we know now.The super wealthy can afford to avoid paying taxes, but how? Here's what we know now.Georgia voters approved a constitutional amendment to curb property tax increases by tying them to inflation.Most cities and counties adopted the amendment, but the majority of school districts, which receive the largest share of property taxes, opted out.A new law gives local governments until the end of April to reconsider, but school districts face challenges due to rising education...