Twelve out of 16 Northwest Georgia taxing authorities will be offering tax relief in the form of a property tax cap passed by Georgia voters last year, according to a survey.
The Chattanooga Times Free Press surveyed 16 taxing authorities in advance of Saturday’s deadline for jurisdictions to opt out of the tax caps. Whitfield County Schools, Chickamauga City Schools and the Dade County Board of Education said they plan to opt out. The city of Chickamauga did not respond.
The legislation, known as amendment 1 or house bill 581, will cap annual increases on property taxes at the inflation rate, usually about 3% a year, according to previous Times Free Press reporting. The measure was designed to bring relief to homeowners who have seen their property tax bills grow in recent years as property values have done the same.
The relief measure would apply only to properties with a homestead exemption. In Georgia, “a homeowner is entitled to a homestead exemption on their home and land underneath provided the home was owned by the homeowner and was their legal residence as of Jan. 1 of the taxable year,” according to the state department of revenue. Taxpayers can only claim the exemption on one home, their primary residence.
Homeowners would be protected by Amendment 1 until they sell their home.