The Alpharetta City Council has advanced an ordinance calling a Nov. 6 referendum to ask voters to approve a new, local homestead exemption, and approved a resolution calling on a state legislator to seek additional property tax relief for residents.
The council had first reading of a referendum ordinance, asking residents if they approve of a new homestead exemption “in the amount of the difference between the current year assessed value of a home and its lowest base year value” of 2016, 2017 or 2018, adjusted yearly by 3 percent or the inflation rate, whichever is less.
The referendum is possible under House Bill 712, passed by the state Legislature this spring.
In a related issue, the resolution asks state Rep. Charles E. Martin Jr., R-Alpharetta, to introduce in the 2019 General Assembly a measure – subject to voter approval – increasing the city homestead exemption to $45,000 from $40,000; and removing income restrictions for residents age 65 or older to qualify for a $10,000 senior exemption. The changes would take effect Jan. 1, 2020.
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