Walton County staff to hold public meetings after state homestead-exemption law passed

Walton County’s administration told commissioners that state legislation passed in 2024 will require local action and public outreach after the county’s existing homestead-exemption structure made it ineligible to accept the statewide change.

County Manager (staff member) told the board that House Bill 581, which enacted a statewide homestead exemption limiting increases in taxable value for owner-occupied homes to the prior year’s inflation rate, also allows local governments to “elect to opt out” so the state exemption will not apply in jurisdictions that already have more favorable local homestead provisions. The county manager said Walton County voters adopted a local homestead exemption by referendum in 2002 and many property owners have valuations “locked in” under that program.

The county manager said Walton County staff will run public information meetings to explain the choices facing the county and will present a resolution at the county commission meeting in February to formally notify the state of the county’s decision. The manager proposed two meetings on Monday, Feb. 3 (10 a.m. and 6 p.m.) and a third meeting at 5 p.m. on Feb. 11 prior to the regular commission meeting; staff also plan additional advertising and social-media outreach.

Why it matters: The county manager told commissioners that about 22,405 homes in Walton County have values “locked in” under the preexisting local homestead program, and that applying the new state formula without the local program would change the county’s revenue picture. As presented, staff estimated an additional revenue gain of $13,730,385 if valuations were re-stabilized under the new law; staff said the county’s millage rate could be reduced in that scenario. The manager said cities and the school system within the county will make their own decisions independently, and that Walton County believes the local program currently provides the better deal for many homeowners.

What the county will do next: The manager said staff will schedule the public meetings, run outreach (including placement in the local paper and on social media), and bring a resolution to the commission that documents the county’s election under the state statute. The manager noted the state timetable that prevents action before January and requires local boards to complete required steps by March 1.

Comments and caveats: The manager briefed the board on the legal mechanics of the state law and the county’s local program as described at the meeting. Staff recommended public meetings to inform residents about the options; the commission did not take a formal recorded vote on the dates at the meeting, and staff indicated they would return with the required resolution. The presentation included numerical figures as described by staff; some totals were read aloud by the manager in the meeting and appear in the county presentation materials that staff provided to the board.

The county manager closed the item by saying the county will work with the public-information officer to explain the issue and encouraged residents to attend the scheduled meetings.