Paulding County holds final public hearing on HB 581 floating homestead exemption; no opt-out vote taken

PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. — The Paulding County Board of Education held its third and final public hearing required by Georgia law on House Bill 581, the statewide “floating homestead exemption,” with no formal vote on whether the district will opt out.

Steve Barnett, superintendent of the Paulding County School District, opened with a presentation and video explaining the law and the board’s timeline, saying the constitutional amendment and HB 581 created “a statewide floating homestead exemption that caps how much homestead values can increase annually” and that the district must hold three public hearings before the board may adopt a resolution to opt out. Barnett said the decision is a one‑time choice and “will permanently impact the school district.”

The nut of the debate centered on how the exemption would affect school funding in a fast‑growing, low‑wealth district. Barnett emphasized the district’s fiscal profile: 32,000 students, a tax digest that is roughly 86% residential (up from about 80% five years earlier), and growing dependence on local revenue — local…