Paulding County Board of Education holds second public hearing on HB 581 opt‑out; no vote yet

Paulding County Board of Education members held the second of three public hearings required by Georgia law on whether the district should exercise its one‑time right to opt out of the statewide floating homestead exemption created by House Bill 581.

Superintendent Steve Barnett told attendees that HB 581 and the related constitutional amendment (identified in the hearing materials as HR 1022) cap how much homestead assessments can rise and give local governments a single opportunity to opt out. "This is a one‑time decision that will permanently impact the school district," Barnett said, adding the board would "listen to the community to get their feedback" and would not act sooner than Feb. 11.

The hearing drew a mix of questions and comments from residents and a presentation from county officials. Barnett emphasized locally relevant data in the board’s presentation: Paulding County has roughly 32,000 students and about 4,000 staff; the district’s digest is disproportionately residential (cited at about 86 percent residential versus a neighboring average of…