Big property tax cut fails in Georgia House
The Georgia House of Representatives on Tuesday rejected a sweeping property tax cut that would have substantially changed the way Georgians pay for schools and local governments.
Supporters said the proposal would grant much-needed relief to homeowners who are struggling to keep up with rising property tax bills. They said the current method of paying for schools and services is unsustainable.
“We’ve all received emails from constituents worried their property tax bills will force them from their homes,” said Rep. Shaw Blackmon, R-Bonaire.
But critics said the plan could decimate the budgets of school districts, counties and cities across Georgia, reducing their primary source of revenue without providing an adequate plan to replace it.
“The math’s just not mathing. It does not add up,” said House Minority Leader Carolyn Hugley, D-Columbus. “This is not a responsible thing to do.”
Tuesday’s action was the General Assembly’s latest attempt at an election-year tax-cutting binge. Lawmakers have already approved an amended fiscal year 2026 budget that grants more than $2 billion in income and property tax relief. And the Senate has approved plans to dramatically scale back the income tax.
House Speaker Jon Burns has made property tax relief a top priority. He originally proposed phasing out all taxes on “homestead” properties — a family’s primary single-family residence. That proposal sparked concerns from school and government officials, who said they could lose billions in annual revenue.
On Tuesday, the House considered a revised proposal to assess taxes on single-family homes based on 10% of their fair-market value, rather than 40% of their value currently. The change would be phased in over a decade.
To help backfill the lost revenue, the House proposal would allow them to repurpose existing sales taxes. It also would create a state grant program to help offset lost revenue.
Supporters of the proposal said local property tax revenue rose 49% in recent years — a burden that is crushing homeowners.
“I love my cities and I love my county and I love my school board,” said Rep. Chuck Martin, R-Alpharetta. “But I love the people who sent me down here more, and we’re taking their life and livelihood away.”
Critics said property tax relief is needed — but not at the cost of destroying local government services.
“We can reduce property tax burdens, but we can do it responsibly,” said Rep. Stacey Evans, D-Atlanta.
Because it required an amendment to the Georgia Constitution, the proposal — House Resolution 1114 — needed the vote of two-thirds of representatives and the approval from voters in November. It failed by a mostly party-line vote of 99 in favor to 73 against, falling short of the two-thirds mark.
What happens next is unclear. Given that it’s one of Burns’ top priorities, the measure will be reconsidered Wednesday.
About the Author
David Wickert writes about the state budget, finance and voting issues. Previously, he covered local government and politics in Gwinnett and Fulton counties. Before moving to Atlanta, he worked at newspapers in Illinois, Tennessee, Virginia and Washington.
