With a runup in home values sparking higher property taxes for many Georgia homeowners, there is a groundswell among state lawmakers in this election year to provide relief.
Georgia’s Senate Finance Committee plans a hearing on Monday on a bill limiting increases in a home’s value, as assessed for property tax purposes, to 3% per year. The limit would last as long as the owner maintained a homestead exemption. Voters would have to approve the plan in a November referendum.
Meanwhile, Republican House Speaker Jon Burns of Newington proposes doubling the state’s homestead tax exemption, a measure likely to cut tax bills by nearly $100 million statewide.
They can move and start renting like other poors have to do.
I know it sounds cynical, but poors can’t afford the increase in cost of living either. Do you know what a household who rents could do with an extra 3-5 thousand dollars per year?
And I’m not against the middle class. But when you see someone with literally millions of dollars in equity complaining about an extra few hundred dollars per month, I see how it can be a little infuriating.
Millions might be an exaggeration in some places. But the equity is going up ten times the increase cost for property taxes.
Ah, yes. Let’s consolidate wealth even more heavily among the already-rich. Good suggestion.
Yeah, I’m sure they’d have no problem paying that.
What about the people with $400k in equity, who are on fixed incomes, who were paying $2.5k in taxes, and are now paying $4k and can’t afford it? Oh, yeah. Fuck them, right?
Again, equity is meaningless if you aren’t selling the property (or otherwise leveraging it), which most people claiming a homestead exemption are not doing. For them, it’s just less money they have each month.
This attitude that anyone who managed to buy a home is part of the 1% and fuck those people is just toxic.
As it stands now, Georgia assesses property tax at 40% of market rate, with a $2000 tax exemption for primary homes. Highest property tax rate in Georgia is 1.66%.
So if you own a million-dollar property, you’ll have to shell out a whopping [checks notes] $4640 per year, or under 400$ per month.
But I’m sure plenty of ordinary people are being priced onto the streets. /s
That’s fine and dandy if you bought the house for half a mill or more. Where it’s fucking people over along side home owners insurance is when the house was bought for 75k decades ago and is now worth a million or more. Those people are are likely retired and on a fixed income or have kids in college and other expenses that go along with raising a family.
You seem extremely out of touch if you think that $400/month going to local property taxes is not make or break for some families. My wife and I make well into 6 figures between us and even where we live it’s getting tougher to budget for everything and include the odd night out or weekend getaway so that we aren’t only working. For example, my wife is now on ozempic and because it’s the beginning of the year most of the cost ($700/month after manufacturer discount) is 100%/on us until we hit our deductible. Not to mention the shit you can’t plan for like a pet needing a vet visit NOW and having to find $1k+ for that visit.
In short. I don’t think you have ever lived on your own or with someone other than parents or other guardians. You have no idea what it’s actually like trying to stay afloat nor do you have any idea what an unexpected increase of even few hundred a month in property taxes can do to a budget that has been meticulously planned.
They have a house that has appreciated in value by 925k.
I think the obvious fucking solution is apparent.
Yes, of course, all those things only home owners know. /s
Are you fucking kidding me.
You’re sitting here saying that someone with a million dollar home paying 400$ a month in “I can live here a little longer” bills is the ultimate in needing a fucking pity party and relief as the value of their property that they own continues to increase?
You do fucking realize that most of us out here fucking renting are renting at well over that price, right? 400$ won’t get you a leaky fucking apartment in the backwoods. I should know, I fucking live in one.