Georgia property owners may get boost from new law

Property owners stunned by their tax assessments will be getting some additional rights under a bill awaiting the governor’s signature. House Bill 202 gives property owners appealing their assessments the right to interview county employees involved in assessments, to tape-record appeal proceedings and to pay lower court fees if they take their appeal to superior court.

One benefit may have been unintended. Wording in the bill should allow property owners to skip over their county board of assessment for appeals and get a quicker response, according to an investor who has studied the provisions.