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AJC.com > Legislature > Blog > Archives > 2009 > January > 29 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USKeen touts tax legislation
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Calling the state’s system of assessing residential property out of whack, House Majority Leader Jerry Keen (R-St. Simons) said Thursday that he expects to win the first real fight of the year on Friday.
The House on Friday will consider two pieces of legislation with similar goals, but different methods. The first is a proposed constitutional amendment that would cap the possible increase in a home’s assessed value. The second is a bill that would fund — this year — the homeowners relief grant but leave the future of those grants very much up in the air.
Under the bill, lawmakers will not appropriate the money in advance for the upcoming year even if the economy miraculously recovers and state revenues start to grow. So the grants aren’t likely to be on next year’s tax bill.
Across the state, Keen said Thursday, homeowners are facing property tax bills that are based on assessments that overstate market value.
“That system does not reflect true market value,” Keen said. The constitutional amendment, he said, “would bring predictability and transparency” to property taxes.
Similar legislation passed the House last year and Keen said he expects the same outcome tomorrow.
Photo credit: Aaron Gould Sheinin/asheinin@ajc.com
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