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ATLANTA – Georgia legislators are reminding voters in the city of Decatur that they will have the opportunity to vote on proposed homestead tax exemptions on Nov. 7 through local ballot referendums.
The referendums are the result of a package of property tax relief bills passed and signed into law during the 2023 legislative session of the Georgia General Assembly. State Rep. Omari Crawford (D-Decatur) today joined with State Representatives Karla Drenner (D-Avondale Estates), Becky Evans (D-Atlanta), Mary Margaret Oliver (D-Decatur) and State Sen. Elena Parent (D-Atlanta) to the reminder.
“We have heard the concerns of the citizens in the City of Decatur, and the Decatur legislative delegation worked hard during this year’s legislative session to ensure that we could provide some much-needed tax relief for local property owners,” said Rep. Crawford. “Home values and tax assessments have been on the rise in Decatur as the city continues to be a wonderful location for people to live. We hope that citizens will vote favorably for these proposals to reduce the amount of money that our homeowners owe and ease the financial burden for many.”
The ballot referendums were created through House Bill 632, House Bill 633, House Bill 634 and House Bill 635. These bills seek to curb rising property taxes for residents and, if adopted, are estimated to result in an annual savings of $1,050,000.
If voters approve the referendums, the homestead exemption from City of Decatur ad valorem taxes would increase to $40,000 for all residential owner-occupied properties; the homestead exemption from City of Decatur ad valorem taxes would increase from $10,000 to $15,000 for residential owner-occupied properties for residents 65 years or older. Additionally, resident property owners on Decatur Land Trust properties would receive a homestead exemption from City of Decatur ad valorem taxes in the amount of $40,000, and a homestead exemption from City of Decatur ad valorem taxes would increase to $25,000 for residential owner-occupied properties for residents 62 years or older whose income does not exceed $60,000.
State Rep. Omari Crawford represents the citizens of District 84, which includes portions of DeKalb County. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2022 and currently serves on the Budget and Fiscal Affairs Oversight, Intragovernmental Coordination and Judiciary committees.