Camden County commissioners direct staff to start opt-out process for new state ‘‘floating’’ homestead exemption

Camden County commissioners in a work session discussed House Bill 581, the statewide “floating” homestead exemption that took effect Jan. 1, and gave staff guidance to begin the formal process to opt the county out of the program.

Nancy (staff member) explained that Camden County already operates a voter-approved homestead-exemption freeze enacted in February 2006 that fixes a homestead’s taxable value to a base year for qualifying owners and applies only to the primary residence (and up to five surrounding acres). She told commissioners the county freeze has in recent years produced large taxpayer savings — staff presented a figure of more than $13.7 million in taxpayer savings over the last three tax years as the digest rose — and contrasted that freeze with HB 581’s approach, which allows a home’s taxable value to increase each year by the rate of inflation (the consumer price index) rather than hold it at a frozen base-year value.

The county staff presentation also summarized procedural steps and deadlines: HB 581 does not replace Camden County’s existing freeze; the new floating exemption would apply in addition to, and not in lieu of, the county freeze; county taxpayers must still apply to the assessor for homestead status; and local governments that do not want to participate must opt out by adopting a resolution and completing notice and hearing steps by March 1. Nancy said the opt-out process requires advertisement and three public hearings and that staff has prepared notices in case the board chooses that route.

Commissioner Smith said he had no questions and stated, “In my opinion, I think we should opt out,” noting that neighboring cities including Kingsland and St. Marys had already begun opt-out steps. Other commissioners expressed support for moving forward so the county’s approach would be aligned with those cities. Staff asked only for guidance in the work session — final action would require the advertised hearings and a formal resolution — and noted proposed public-hearing dates have been added to the county calendar: Feb. 13 at 5 p.m. and Feb. 18 at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. (staff said all actions must be completed before March 1).

Why it matters: Camden County’s long-standing homestead freeze has been presented by staff as producing materially larger taxpayer savings than the new state option would for many owners. Opting out would preserve the county’s current local freeze as the controlling local benefit for qualifying homeowners; staying in would make the state floating exemption available to qualified homestead filers in addition to existing local exemptions.

Next steps: Staff said it would advertise the hearings, hold the three required public hearings, and return to the board with a resolution for formal adoption if the board wishes to opt out. The board did not take a formal binding vote in the work session; commissioners provided general guidance to proceed with the opt-out process.