Macon-Bibb officials briefed on House Bill 581, told opt-out deadline looms

Macon-Bibb County commissioners received a detailed briefing on House Bill 581 and how the law would change local homestead exemptions if the county does not opt out.

The presentation, led by Miss Schultz with assistance from Andrea Crutchfield, chief appraiser for the Board of Tax Assessors, explained that House Bill 581 creates a “floating” homestead exemption tied to a state-determined inflationary index and a base-year assessment. Under current state law, property owners are taxed on 40 percent of assessed value; local flat homestead exemptions such as Macon-Bibb’s $7,000 exemption reduce the assessed value before that calculation.

Schultz said the Georgia Department of Revenue has issued guidance that no inflationary adjustment will be provided for the 2025 digest, meaning assessors will effectively use 2024 base values for affected properties in the 2025 tax year. “For 2025 . . . there will actually not be an inflationary number provided to tax assessors,” Schultz said. Andrea Crutchfield confirmed the $7,000 local flat exemption remains in place and that, where a local jurisdiction already has a floating base, taxpayers would receive whichever exemption produces the larger benefit.

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