Atlanta residents vote to extend school property tax break

Atlanta voters overwhelmingly agreed on Tuesday to extend a school property tax break. BOB ANDRES/ AJC FILE PHOTO

Credit: Bob Andres/AJC

Credit: Bob Andres/AJC

Atlanta voters overwhelmingly agreed on Tuesday to extend a school property tax break. BOB ANDRES/ AJC FILE PHOTO

More than 80% of voters approved a measure that will allow eligible homeowners to continue to receive a break on their Atlanta school property taxes.

The measure appeared on ballots Tuesday.

With its passage, a homestead exemption granted to some property owners that was set to expire at the end of the year now becomes permanent.

Eligible property owners will receive a homestead exemption from Atlanta Public Schools’ taxes in the amount of $50,000 of their home’s assessed value. They are required to pay taxes on at least $10,000 of the assessed value.

The exemption was first given to homeowners a few years ago to offer temporary relief from rising property values that drove tax bills up.

The measure received 83% of voter support in the city of Atlanta’s Fulton County precincts, and 85% of votes among the Dekalb County precincts.