Tax freeze referendum legislation passes General Assembly; step closer to local vote
An effort by Columbus Mayor Teresa Tomlinson to allow voters to thaw the city's property tax assessment freeze passed the Georgia Senate just before lunch Thursday and now moves to Gov. Nathan Deal for his approval.
If the governor signs the bill, Muscogee County voters will likely be able to vote on the referendum in November.
“Our delegation is to be commended. They did a great job,” Tomlinson said. “Especially Ed Harbison, who spearheaded things in the Senate.”
Tomlinson said she is confident the referendum will pass in November.
“I think it’s going to be great for the city,” Tomlinson said. “People have seen and have grown tired of some homeowners subsidizing others. This is a fair way to address those inequities. I think it will pass.”
The local legislation had previously passed the House. On Thursday's final day of the General Assembly session, it passed the Senate 52-2. The two local senators split their votes with Sen. Josh McKoon, R-Columbus, voting against it and Harbison, D-Columbus, in favor. Sen. Mike Crane, R-Newnan, who is seeking the Republican nomination for the vacant 3rd congressional district seat that includes a portion of north Columbus, also voted against it.
The bill had been tabled in the Senate before making it to the floor for a vote. McKoon tried to alter the language, but the House version passed the Senate.
“I'm disturbed and disappointed by the process that brought the bill to this point,” McKoon explained. “Therefore I voted no.”
McKoon said his opposition is based on several points.
“I believe if passed and successfully challenged in court there is a strong likelihood the tax freeze for all Muscogee County residents will be immediately repealed,” he said. “Additionally, the city was very late in bringing a bill that passed even basic legal requirements to be offered to the general assembly. They approved that version without posting it on an agenda so the public could be heard.”
The legislation took a bumpy route to passage.
The wording of the original proposed legislation was deemed to be possibly illegal by a legislative counsel for the General Assembly. City lawyers and the legislative counsel then worked together on amending the wording.
The amended version was brought back to Columbus Council for approval. The original version passed 6-3, but the amended version got 9-1 approval.
That version also passed muster for state Rep. Richard Smith, who raised the objections to it. The amended version, which had an increase in homestead exemption removed, then easily passed the House, with unanimous support of the local House delegation.
If approved by voters, it would not eliminate the tax freeze, but allow it to phase out as property changes hands. Home owners currently under the freeze would remain under it until their property changes hands, either through sale or probate.
Homes purchased after Jan. 1, 2017, and properties that change hands subsequently would go under a fair market tax system, akin to those in most municipalities.
This story was originally published March 24, 2016 at 12:25 PM with the headline "Tax freeze referendum legislation passes General Assembly; step closer to local vote."