Peach Tree Times

Last week in Atlanta, Senator Jason Anavitarte introduced Senate Bill 356 to provide residents in Polk County with a homestead exemption from school district ad valorem taxes. The legislation is designed to offer financial relief, especially to senior citizens, amidst rising property taxes and increasing property values.

Senator Anavitarte stated, “Many senior citizens in Polk County have contributed taxes to their school districts for decades after their children had gone through the education system. They have paid into the system for long enough, and I’m proud to offer them the opportunity for financial relief as our overall economy contends with rising property taxes and rapidly increasing property values. SB 356 will help our community keep property taxes manageable, particularly for those with fixed incomes who ought to be able to enjoy their retirement.”

Under this legislation, residents aged 65 or older could receive an exemption of either 50% or $60,000 of the assessed homestead value, whichever is higher. For those aged 70 or older, the exemption would increase to 75% or $80,000, whichever is higher. Residents aged 77 or older would be completely exempt from the assessed value of the homestead.

Representative Trey Kelley also supports this initiative, introducing HB 848, complementing Senator Anavitarte’s proposal. Rep. Kelley expressed, “I am proud to introduce HB 848 alongside Senator Anavitarte’s SB 356, which will provide meaningful property tax relief to the senior citizens of Polk County. I want to thank the numerous senior citizens who reached out to us through this process, and I look forward to continuing to advocate for lower taxes for all Polk County residents.”

Homestead exemptions benefit homeowners by lowering the property taxes on their primary residence. Georgia residents must apply for these exemptions before April 1st through their local county tax offices.

For further inquiries or more details on the legislation, reach out to SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov. Senator Anavitarte, who is the Chairman of the Senate Majority Caucus, represents the 31st Senate District, which includes Polk County and part of Paulding County. He can be contacted via email at Jason.Anavitarte@senate.ga.gov.