ATLANTA – State Representative Jan Jones (R-Milton), Speaker Pro-Tempore of the Georgia House of Representatives, today announced that the Georgia General Assembly recently gave final passage to House Bills 707, 708, 710, 711, 712 and Senate Bill 317, measures that would provide North Fulton homeowners extensive protections against property tax reassessments.
“I was proud to work with North Fulton legislators to protect our constituents from unpredictable and unaffordable property tax bills due to reassessments,” said Rep. Jones. “After working on this since last fall, I was relieved when the bills gained final passage.”
The bills would expand current protections for the Fulton County portion of property tax bills, as well as for Sandy Springs residents. The bills would also add protections for the Fulton County School Board portion of property tax bills and portions for the cities of Roswell, Johns Creek, Alpharetta, Milton and Mountain Park.
The new homestead exemptions for the cities and the school system would essentially freeze homeowners’ assessments for purposes of taxation at the 2016 level and would allow for increases up to three percent or the rate of inflation, whichever is less. The homestead exemptions would remain in place as long as homeowners own their homes. Upon the sale of a home, the more current assessment would take effect and become the new “frozen” level.
Fulton County residents outside of the City of Atlanta will vote on whether to approve the new homestead exemption for the Fulton County School System tax in a referendum in November 2018. Respective city residents will also vote in referendums at the same time. If approved, the protections would become effective for 2019 tax bills. Because statewide law set the tax digest for the current tax year for April 1, the homestead exemptions would not take effect for the 2018 tax year.
The measures are a result of a concerted and unified effort by North Fulton state senators and state representatives to address 2017 reassessments that would have resulted in large property tax increases. The Fulton County Commission dismissed the reassessments and utilized the 2016 tax digest.
House Bills 707, 708, 710, 711, 712 and Senate Bill 317 will now go to Governor Nathan Deal for consideration. These bills require the governor’s signature in order to take effect.
Representative Jan Jones represents the citizens of District 47, which includes portions of Fulton County. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2002 and currently serves as House Speaker Pro-Tempore. She also serves on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Education and the Education, Ethics, Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment, Regulated Industries and Rules committees.
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