State Sen. Chuck Hufstetler (R-Rome) wants to revisit the homestead exemption law by putting it on the ballot again. Only this time, counties and school systems won’t be allowed to opt out.
House Bill 581 took effect Jan. 1 after 67.48 percent of Georgia voters approved the floating homestead exemption in November. It offered an exemption across the state that capped annual property taxes. This would limit taxes local cities, counties, and school districts could raise, except for one thing. They can opt out.
Many are trying to opt out, including the Bartow County BOE, Cartersville City Schools, Gwinnett County Schools, and several cities within Gwinnett, including Auburn, Buford, Berkeley Lake, and Snellville. Calhoun County, near Albany, is considering it, as is the City of Edison. Cobb County also published a legal advertisement noting its intentions to opt out.
County and city leaders worry that the mixed bag of those opting out and those sticking with the bill would shift the tax burden. Some worry about the long-term effects on poorer counties, municipalities, and school boards.
Hufstetler noted that counties like Floyd County have done well in tax base expansion so they shouldn’t look for additional ways to raise property taxes.
State Rep. Matthew Gambill (R – Cartersville) stated in a radio interview that the opt out was put into the bill to accommodate rural school systems in Georgia who would likely suffer under a tax cap. It was also part of a compromise. Gambill said he voted for it.
“At the end of the day, I was looking for a way to help our constituents with escalating property taxes,” he said.
Gambill said they could carve out geographic areas to be more accommodating in applying the new law. He said they could write a local bill that applies only to Bartow County and Cartersville schools. However, Gambill said he isn’t in absolute favor of that option because the statewide referendum passed overwhelmingly in November.
Municipalities and school boards seeking to opt out of the law must have three public hearings and file all required paperwork to the Georgia Secretary of State’s office by March 1.
The Bartow County BOE will have another public hearing on Tuesday, Jan. 21 at 11:30 a.m. Those wishing to speak should arrive at least 20 minutes before the meeting to sign up. Each speaker is allowed three minutes to speak.
Cartersville City Schools posted its public hearings will be held on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, at 5 PM and Monday, February 3, 2025, at 6 PM as previously scheduled. The meeting originally scheduled for January 10 has been rescheduled for Wednesday, February 12, 2025, at 5 PM. All meetings will be held in the Board Room of the City of Cartersville Board of Education at 15 Nelson Street.