Savannah‑Chatham school board tables vote on opting out of statewide homestead exemption

The Savannah‑Chatham County Board of Public Education on Monday voted to table a resolution that would have directed staff to opt the district out of a statewide homestead exemption authorized by House Bill 581 and file a certified resolution with the Georgia Secretary of State by March 1, 2025.

Board members said they lacked clear information about how HB 581 — and a related House bill (HB 92) then moving through the General Assembly — would interact with the county’s existing Stevens Day homestead exemption, and how indexation choices such as CPI or CPI‑U could affect school millage calculations.

The resolution presented to the board would have authorized the board president to file a certified copy of the enclosed resolution with the Georgia secretary of state no later than 03/01/2025. The staff report said the district had held three public informational hearings in accordance with OCGA 48‑5‑44.2, placed a required advertisement, and posted notices on the district website. The report also said the resolution had been reviewed by the board attorney and was supported by the superintendent.

“My understanding of 5‑81 is taxpayer gets, for our county, the better of Stevens Day or 5‑81 or fair market value,” said Mr. Kachmar, board member. “So if we opt out of 5‑81, we have Stevens Day, and we don't have the backstop of 5‑81. So I don't see the benefit of opting out.”

Dr. Howard Hall, board member, said uncertainty in pending state changes supported caution. “Politically, right now, we are in at the brink of the unknown. But what we do know is the benefits of Stevens Day,” Hall said, adding that Stevens Day benefits both taxpayers and the school district.

Several members said the main concern was the state deadline and the bill still being amended in Atlanta. Ms. Campbell, board member, noted language in HB 92 she had reviewed that would “revise definitions, provide for related matters, provide for an effective date, [and] repeal conflicting laws,” and said that repeal language was “a little bit alarming.” Board members repeatedly cited the March 1 filing deadline established by the current statute and discussed a proposed amendment (HB 92) that, if passed, would in some versions extend the deadline to March 31 and change definitions and other criteria.

Given those uncertainties, Ms. Grabowski, board member, moved to table the pending motion and asked staff to reconvene the board 48 hours before any final state deadline to ensure the district could file required materials if needed. Mr. Kachmar restated the motion; a second was offered and the chair called the question. The motion to table passed.

Board members also discussed procedural options if clearer information arrives after a vote: a member who voted in favor of an action could move to reconsider that action at a later meeting, which the board attorney said the board had done successfully in the past.

The board did not adopt the opt‑out resolution at the meeting and therefore did not direct staff to transmit a certified resolution to the state. The board discussed reconvening on short notice if the General Assembly acted in a way that changed filing deadlines or substantive provisions affecting the exemption.

Votes at a glance - Motion to table consideration of the resolution to opt out of HB 581 (mover: Mr. Kachmar, board member; seconder: board member not named in the record): motion passed (board called for the question and declared the motion carried). The record did not include a roll‑call tally in the transcript excerpt provided.

Why this matters If the board had adopted the opt‑out resolution, staff would have been required to file certified documents with the Georgia Secretary of State by the statutory deadline. Board members said the outcome could affect which homestead exemption — the local Stevens Day exemption or the new statewide option under HB 581 — a homeowner would receive and could influence school millage calculations depending on how inflation adjustments (CPI or CPI‑U) are applied.

What’s next Board members asked staff and local legislators to monitor the General Assembly and return to the board if statutory language or deadlines change. Board members noted a regularly scheduled meeting on March 6 where the matter could be reconsidered if the legislature extends deadlines or clarifies the law.