Marietta council votes to ask school board, delegation to seek charter amendment raising 1-acre homestead exemption to 10 acres

MariettaMayor and city council on Wednesday approved a resolution asking the Marietta City School Board to join the city in petitioning the citydelegation to the Georgia General Assembly to pursue a local act and a referendum that would raise the municipal homestead exemption from the current 1 acre to 10 acres.

The council motion, made at the work session, followed advice cited from the attorney generaland legal counsel that a change to the homestead exemption would require a local act of the General Assembly and then approval by voters in a local referendum. The councilmoved to prepare a resolution and ask the school board to consider a joint petition to the delegation; a member proposed specifying a 10-acre exemption and the motion to adopt the resolution with 10 acres was seconded and carried.

Council members discussed the revenue impact and timing. One member noted staff estimates the city currently receives about $155,000 that could be affected if the exemption were expanded to match the countyand cautioned on the short legislative calendar, saying it would be difficult to place the measure before the General Assembly this year. Council members said the school board would need to evaluate what reductions it would have to make if the exemption were expanded.

The adopted motion directs staff and the city attorney to prepare a resolution to present to the school board and to the city delegation, with the intention of pursuing a local act and subsequent referendum; the council also asked that the resolution be included in the packet for the next meeting.

The council did not adopt specific enabling language for the General Assembly; members said any final proposal would require drafting by the city attorney and coordination with the school board and the citylegislative delegation before being submitted to the General Assembly.