EDITORIAL: Rep. Jesse Petrea: Bryan County Voters Have a Chance to Protect Homeowners

By State Representative Jesse Petrea (R-Savannah)

(556 words)

This November, Bryan County voters will have an opportunity to decide an issue that affects nearly every homeowner in our community-whether families should continue to face ever increasing property tax bills simply because the value of their home rises on paper.

In every other area of taxation, we tax gains when realized. But with property taxes, homeowners are taxed on increases in value that only exist on paper. That automatic tax increase is exactly what House Bill 1440 addresses.

I sponsored HB 1440, along with State Representatives Lehman Franklin (R-Statesboro) and Ron Stephens (R-Savannah) and carried in the Senate by State Senator Ben Watson (R-Savannah), to give Bryan County voters the power to provide meaningful property tax relief through a new homestead exemption for school taxes.

This is especially important for retirees and families living on fixed incomes.

HB 1440 addresses this concern by establishing a base-year value for qualified homestead properties. As assessments rise in future years, homeowners would receive an exemption designed to shield them from much of the increase for school tax purposes. In simple terms, homeowners would continue to build equity in their homes without facing the full burden of taxes driven by escalating assessments.

A home is more than an investment. It is where families are raised, memories are made and retirements are enjoyed. Homeowners should not have to worry about being taxed out of the very homes they worked decades to purchase and maintain.

This legislation also respects local control. Rather than imposing a mandate from Atlanta, HB 1440 allows Bryan County voters to decide for themselves whether this protection should be adopted. The people who pay the taxes will be the people who make the decision.

As sponsors of HB 1440, we recognized a growing challenge facing homeowners throughout Georgia, especially in our fast-growing coastal counties. As property values continue to climb, local governments must find ways to balance revenue needs with fairness to taxpayers. This

measure is an attempt to strike that balance by protecting homeowners, while preserving the stability of the tax system.

In recent years, property tax relief has become one of the most discussed issues at the State Capitol. Citizens across Georgia have voiced concerns that they are paying more taxes simply because the market determined their property was worth more than it was the year before.

This November, Bryan County voters have an opportunity to respond to this concern.

The question before voters on the ballot is, "Shall the Act be approved which provides a homestead exemption from Bryan County School District Ad Valorem taxes for educational purposes in an amount equal to the amount by which the current year assessed value of a homestead exceeds the base year assessed value, including any final determination of value on appeal pursuant to Code Section 48-5-311 of the O.C.G.A. as amended, of such homestead?"

While the question sounds technical, the impact is straightforward. Homeowners who qualify can lock in a base year taxable value and be protected from future assessment driven tax increases for school taxes.

HB 1440 offers a practical solution. It provides protection, predictability and peace of mind for homeowners, while allowing voters to decide the future of property tax relief in Bryan County.

The decision now belongs to the people.

This November, make your voice heard and vote yes on HB 1440.

Representative Jesse Petrea represents the citizens of District 166, which includes portions of Bryan and Chatham counties. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2014 and currently serves as Chairman of the Human Relations & Aging Committee and as Secretary of the Games, Fish & Parks Committee. He also serves on the Appropriations, Appropriations Subcommittee on Health, Health, Industry and Labor, Natural Resources & Environment and Public Safety and Homeland Security committees, as well as the Special Committee on Healthcare.

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