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Ballot referendum ties assessments to rate of inflation By ZOE SEILER zoe@appenmedia.com
SOLI PRILLAMAN/PROVIDED
Baker turns pastry passion into business Soli Prillaman often receives help from her daughter in preparing her food. Prillaman decided to create a business after receiving compliments from bake sales to raise funds for her daughter’s competitions. See story Page 10
ROI
matters.
METRO ATLANTA — Voters will decide whether to enact a number of statewide ballot measures aimed at relieving sticker shock on property taxes. One ballot question is a constitutional amendment for a statewide floating homestead exemption that would essentially cap property assessments at the inflation rate. House Bill 581 creates the homestead exemption and a new local option sales tax. It will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2025, only if the referendum on House Resolution 1022, which is also known as Amendment 1, is approved by voters in November. Election Day is Nov. 5. The ballot question would give the Legislature the constitutional authority to offer this homestead exemption. The question says: “Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to authorize the General Assembly to provide by general law for a state-wide homestead exemption that serves to limit increases in the assessed value of homesteads, but which any county, consolidated government, municipality, or local school system may opt out of upon the completion of certain procedures?” A floating homestead exemption generally increases its value to offset inflation. For example, if a home
See TAX, Page 22
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