Georgia state Rep. Carolyn Hugley speaks on failed attempt to reduce property tax
Georgia House Minority Leader Carolyn Hugley (D-Columbus) commended state House Democrats after a resolution to amend the state’s constitution to change how municipalities and school systems are funded and reduce property taxes.
The Georgia House of Representatives voted on HR 1114, which would have revised procedures for financing counties, municipalities, consolidated governments and school systems, reducing homestead property taxes from 40% to 10% of the assessed value by 2032.
This proposed amendment, if passed by the legislature and voters, would have eliminated property taxes for veterans.
To make up for the loss in revenue, the resolution authorizes local governments and boards of education to use sales tax, along with establishing a grant fund using proceeds from data centers, to help local governments replace lost revenue.
“I’m proud of our caucus because we stood up for the people of this state this afternoon,” Hugley told reporters. “This bill is a monumental change in the revenue structure governing local governments and schools, and it should not be done on the fly, on the back of a piece of paper, on a bill that was passed out of committee yesterday when nobody had the bill when they voted.”
Property taxes fund local governments and schools, Hugley said, and the proposed constitutional amendment would “force people at the local level to make decisions we’re not willing to make ourselves. That, for me, is problematic.”
The resolution needs a two-thirds majority, or 120 votes, to pass. It failed to meet this threshold with a vote of 99-73.
This vote was taken hours after Gov. Brian Kemp signed the amended budget, HB 973, which includes $2 billion in income and property tax relief, according to a news release from the Georgia House Democratic Caucus. HB 973 was supported by most of the Democratic Caucus and passed with a vote of 167-5.
The people were left out of the process, Hugley said, and there should have been hearings about HR 1114 before they voted.
“Our caucus, our members, are listening to people back home, and that’s what you saw today,” she said.
The resolution has until Crossover Day on March 6 to pass in the state House for it to have a shot to pass by the end of the legislative session.
