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Cherokee County schools hire third‑party firm to validate revenue impact of homestead-exemption change
Summary
District staff told the board they contracted a Washington, D.C., firm to validate estimates of revenue loss from Georgia House Bill 581; Mister Owen said the district expects a final report before the Aug. 21 school‑board meeting and that the RFQ response carried an initial cost estimate of $18,000.
Mister Owen told the Cherokee County Board of Education on July 24 that the district has retained a Washington, D.C., consulting firm as a third‑party validator to review projections of local revenue lost under House Bill 581.
The firm was the sole responder to an RFQ issued June 17 and quoted an initial fee of $18,000, Owen said. He told the board the engagement began with a kickoff on July 14 and that staff provided digest data and the district's projection formula and assumptions to the firm. "We do expect that final report, to be issued ahead of the August 21, school board meeting," Owen said.
Why it matters: the board voted in February to opt out of the homestead‑exemption referenced in HB 581 after staff estimated significant local revenue losses. Owen told the board the district's initial estimate showed approximately $54 million in lost local revenue over five years and an additional $14 million per year tied to expansion of the senior exemption. District members previously authorized a forensic audit that was later rescinded and replaced with this third‑party validation.
Owen described the district's efforts to find local firms willing to perform the validation (with no takers) before running the RFQ and accepting the Washington, D.C., firm's quote. He said staff will meet with the firm every two weeks to track progress and answer questions.
The board asked how the validation firm will report its findings. Owen said the firm will issue a report that district staff will present to the board and that he is working directly with the firm to supply necessary data.
What the record shows: the transcript documents the board’s prior February resolution to opt out of the homestead-exemption and notes the March 2025 authorizing motion for a forensic audit that was subsequently rescinded and replaced by the request for third‑party validation. The timeline for final deliverable given in the meeting is ahead of the Aug. 21 board meeting.
Next step: staff will continue biweekly engagements with the consultant and present the validation report to the board when it is complete.
