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Walton County board authorizes homestead‑audit contract, plans July start at $48,360
Summary
County tax staff told commissioners an outside contractor can audit homestead exemptions across roughly 24,000 properties; the board approved a July start at the $48,360 option, subject to county attorney approval, to ensure correct exemption eligibility and potential revenue recovery.
Walton County commissioners approved contracting with an outside firm to perform a countywide homestead exemption audit, with the board selecting an option that would begin in the next fiscal year and cost about $48,360.
Tax staff told the board the county has nearly 24,000 homesteads and stated a combined fair‑market total of "almost three and a half billion dollars." Staff said a 40% taxable value converts to approximately $1.4 (the office described the taxable number in the presentation), and estimated the current homestead program contributes roughly $17 million in revenue impact under current millage rates. The tax office said the vendor is currently serving about 27 other Georgia counties and uses WinGAP, a Georgia appraisal software, which staff said will simplify integration.
Two pricing and scheduling options were discussed: an immediate start for $19,700 with a 30–45 day implementation period, or a July start in the next fiscal year for $48,360. Tax staff recommended the July start at $48,360 because the office is short‑staffed and the longer option better aligns with internal capacity; the board approved that option on a motion, with approval conditioned on the county attorney’s sign‑off on the contract.
Board members asked about return on investment and vendor track record; staff said the vendor’s results in other counties show rapid identification of improper homestead claims (one staffer said they typically expect to find "700 to 1,000" incorrect exemptions). The motion carried after the board voted to approve the July‑start option subject to legal review.
Next steps: County attorney will review and finalize the contract; vendor integration work with IT and tax software will follow prior to the vendor’s data work and an anticipated 30–45‑day processing window after the vendor begins.
