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Decatur holds public hearings on House Bill 581 opt‑out; residents split on voter intent and equity
Summary
The commission held a second public hearing on HB 581, the statewide floating homestead exemption; speakers were split between honoring the referendum and concerns that the policy would deepen inequities and reduce local fiscal flexibility given Decatur’s millage cap and school tax share.
The City of Decatur opened a second public hearing on House Bill 581, the statewide floating homestead exemption, and heard more than an hour of public comment and commissioner deliberation on Jan. 21.
City Manager Andrea Arnold summarized the statute and the opt‑out timetable, telling the commission the law caps annual taxable‑value growth for owner‑occupied homesteads to the rate of inflation as determined by the state revenue commissioner. Arnold also emphasized that the school system will make an independent decision and that cities that do not act are automatically opted in.
Donovan McMurray, a first‑time…
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