GA Senate passes bill that would provide property tax relief for seniors in ATL

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Atlanta seniors may get relief from property taxes that fund schools, thanks to new legislation​

Feb 14, 2024
Today, the Georgia State Senate passed Senate Bill 439 through the Local Consent Calendar. Sponsored by Sen. Jason Esteves , the measure proposes a senior homestead exemption from City of Atlanta Independent School District ad valorem taxes for educational purposes.

For homeowners over the age of 65 and who earn up to $100,000, Senate Bill 439 would allow them to avoid ad valorem taxes that fund Atlanta Public Schools.

As written, the bill would provide this tax exemption for anyone over 65 whose home has a value of $100,000 or more.

Specifically, taxation on the home in question would provide a homestead exemption up to $100,000 of the home’s assessed value, if the homeowner falls into the specified age of 65 or older.

Explaining the exemption, SB 439 says “ad valorem taxes for education purposes” refers to taxes levied by, for, or on behalf of the City of Atlanta’s independent school district, with the exception of ad valorem taxes that pay for interest on and to retire educational bonded indebtedness.

In layman’s terms, the bill would allow Atlanta senior citizens who own their homes to shave off part of their yearly tax bill that currently helps fund the public school system, despite the homeowners not having children in the K-12 age group who would participate in benefits from the funding.

According to the bill’s legislative text, “a senior citizen is granted an exemption on that person’s homestead from all City of Atlanta independent school district ad valorem taxes for education purposes in the amount of $100,000 of the assessed value of that homestead.” The remainder of the property will still be subject to taxation.

Additionally, the bill states that “The maximum amount of homestead exemptions granted under this Act shall not exceed $10 million in the aggregate annually” and “If such total is equal to or less than $10 million in the aggregate for that taxable year, then each senior citizen claiming a homestead exemption under this Act shall receive the full value of such exemption. If the total exceeds $10 million in the aggregate for that taxable year, the governing authority or its designee shall calculate the amount by which the total exceeds $10 million and shall reduce the amount of homestead exemptions claimed by such senior citizens in an amount equal to such difference so that the total amount of homestead exemptions being claimed under this Act for such taxable year shall equal $10 million.”

The bill also says reductions applied under this provision will be proportional.

In the final portion of the proposed legislation, the bill text states that SB 439, should it become law, would not apply to state, county or other ad valorem taxes that do not have to do with education and that the homestead exemption granted by the bill would be “in lieu of and not in addition to any other homestead exemption” that applies to Atlanta homes and their residents.

"By advancing this measure through the Senate, we're making meaningful progress in easing the burden of property taxes for our seniors," said Sen. Jason Esteves (D-Dist. 6), the bill's sponsor. "SB 439 will ensure that seniors in Atlanta can better afford to stay in their homes and communities."

SB 439 will now be considered by the Georgia House of Representatives