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Engineer urges limits on large abatements, proposes homestead relief and impact fees
Summary
Bill Gregory urged Troup County commissioners to reassert oversight of tax abatements, questioned recent 50% abatements for data centers, and proposed increasing the homestead exemption and exploring development impact fees under OCGA 36-71-1.
Bill Gregory, who identified himself as an engineer and longtime resident, reviewed state law and urged the county to consider alternatives to shifting tax burden onto residential property owners.
"The commissioners have the authority to increase the homestead exemption," Gregory said, noting Georgia allows up to a $10,000 exemption while his recollection is the county’s current exemption is $2,000. He recommended the board consider increasing that exemption, institutionalizing past tax bill rebates, and examining development impact fees to require new businesses to cover infrastructure costs.
Gregory criticized the county's practice of delegating tax-abatement reviews and singled out recent data center abatements — including a 50% abatement on an existing site — as an example of potential revenue foregone. He estimated that data center property taxes might generate up to $30 million per year at full operation, or as much as $60 million without abatements, and asked commissioners to consider how any increased revenue would be used to benefit low-income and senior homeowners.
