DeKalb property tax freeze bill passes
The Georgia Senate gave final approval Tuesday to a bill that holds down DeKalb County residential property taxes by freezing assessed property values.
The Senate voted 47-4 to pass the property assessment freeze legislation, House Bill 596.
The measure extends for five more years an existing assessment freeze that has been in place since 2007.
By preventing the assessed value of homes from going up except when they’re sold or renovated, residents’ property taxes will stay the same each year unless elected officials raise rates.
Sen. Fran Millar, R-Atlanta, made the assessment freeze a priority as state lawmakers have taken up legislation dealing with government transparency, taxes and cityhood.
The legislation will now advance to Gov. Nathan Deal for his signature.
About the Author
Mark Niesse is an enterprise reporter and covers elections and Georgia government for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and is considered an expert on elections and voting. Before joining the AJC, he worked for The Associated Press in Atlanta, Honolulu and Montgomery, Alabama. He also reported for The Daily Report and The Santiago Times in Chile.
