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Lowndes County commissioners opt out of state homestead change and propose larger local exemptions
Summary
Commissioners voted to opt out of OCGA 48-5-44.2 (House Bill 581) and approved submitting a proposed local act to the county's state delegation that would raise the standard homestead exemption and expand senior exemptions; officials said the change would require a minimal millage-rate adjustment.
Lowndes County commissioners voted to opt out of OCGA 48-5-44.2 (the homestead exemption change enacted as House Bill 581) and approved submitting a proposed local act to the county’s delegation to the Georgia General Assembly to raise local homestead exemptions.
County manager Miss Dukes told the commission the proposal would raise the standard homestead exemption from $6,000 to $12,000; increase the exemption for homeowners 65 and older from $10,000 to $40,000; and add a new exemption of $50,000 for residents 70 and older. "This would be a standard increase from 6,000 to $12,000 for all eligible homeowners," Miss Dukes said. She said the county’s current $6,000 exemption already exceeds the state base of $2,000.
Miss Dukes said the recommended changes are intended to reduce tax pressure on seniors and other homeowners while maintaining the county’s revenue base. Based on the current digest, she said restoring revenues to operate services at current levels would require "a minimal adjustment of a 0.265 in the millage rate." Using current figures, Miss Dukes said the combined changes would reduce the tax bill for a homeowner in the unincorporated county with a $200,000 house by about $550.
Commissioners first voted to add two items to the agenda: (1) a resolution to opt out of OCGA 48-5-44.2 (House Bill 581) and (2) a proposed local act to increase homestead exemptions. Both additions were approved by voice vote without recorded opposition. The commission then passed the opt-out resolution and approved submitting the proposed local act to the county’s state delegation; both votes were carried by voice vote.
Miss Dukes characterized the plan as a way for locally elected officials to retain control of tax policy rather than relying on state-indexed changes. "This is still something that the elected officials that the voters voted for to make these decisions for them locally are maintaining control of that decision here," she said.
The commission and county staff said they expect to publicize the action quickly; a short press event about the new homestead-exemption proposal was scheduled at the Historic Courthouse the following day.
