Paulding County Tax Commissioner J. W. (Bill) Watson, III says homeowners should brace themselves for additional property taxes this year and the next. The state homestead tax relief grant that funded an increased homestead exemption to homeowners for the last several years will not be available this year. Declining state revenues during the current recession means there is no money for the State to give the tax relief to homeowners said Mr. Watson. This will mean a property tax increase of $200 to $300 on the 2009 tax bills for many Georgia homeowners. The grant appropriated by the General Assembly and the Governor for the last several years to counties, cities, and schools had given tax relief to homeowners in the form of a credit on their tax bills. According to legislation passed in 2009 (House Bill 143) the grant will only be made available in the future if state revenues grow at least 3% plus the rate of inflation. Mr. Watson encourages homeowners to prepare for the increase before tax bills are issued later this year.
2009-06-26