Long County begins comprehensive‑plan update; tax appraiser outlines potential effect of House Bill 581

The Long County Board held public hearings in February to solicit feedback on proposed amendments to the county and City of Ludowici Comprehensive Plan and to discuss potential tax‑related effects of pending state legislation.

At the Feb. 4 hearing Chairman James Craft opened the record on the comprehensive‑plan update and noted the board was starting the process rather than voting to adopt the plan. Residents were given an opportunity to comment and ask procedural questions, including a question from Lisa Ruise about forming a committee to work on the plan.

At a Feb. 6 hearing Chief Tax Appraiser Tara Boatright reviewed a tax‑calculation spreadsheet and explained the potential impact of House Bill 581. According to Boatright, HB 581 would not eliminate a taxpayer’s current homestead exemption but would freeze the 2024 property value used in calculations; she cautioned that the longer a freeze remains in place the more it could contribute to an increase in the millage rate. Boatright also stated Long County conducts a revaluation every three years, with assessments required to be completed by May. She noted the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) approved an extension of the homestead‑exemption deadline to May 1, 2025, and that while the county could opt out locally, the legislature retains authority to opt the county back in.

Why it matters: Changes to state homestead‑exemption law and updates to the comprehensive plan can affect property tax bills, county budgeting and long‑term land‑use planning. The hearings were explicitly for public feedback and elicited no written or verbal objections at the Feb. 6 and Feb. 13 sessions.

The board closed the Feb. 6 hearing at 7:10 p.m. and the Feb. 13 hearing at 6:25 p.m.