{"id":24786,"date":"2025-02-11T10:38:33","date_gmt":"2025-02-11T15:38:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/?p=24786"},"modified":"2025-02-13T12:25:34","modified_gmt":"2025-02-13T17:25:34","slug":"lowndes-county-considers-opting-out-of-house-bill-581-lcc-public-hearing-2025-02-10","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2025\/02\/lowndes-county-considers-opting-out-of-house-bill-581-lcc-public-hearing-2025-02-10.html","title":{"rendered":"Lowndes County Considers Opting Out of House Bill 581 @ LCC Public Hearing 2025-02-10"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Update 2025-02-13<\/strong>:\r\nThe second one:\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2025\/02\/videos-lowndes-county-considers-opting-out-of-house-bill-581-public-hearing-2025-02-11.html\">Videos: Lowndes County Considers Opting Out of House Bill 581 Public Hearing 2025-02-11<\/a>.\r\n<p>\r\nHere are LAKE videos of yesterday&#8217;s Public Hearing about Lowndes County\r\nconsidering opting out of the statewide homestead exemption legislated last year by HB 581, effective January 1, 2025.\r\n<p>\r\nThere will be another Public Hearing this evening,\r\nTuesday, February 11 at 6:00 p.m.\r\n<p>\r\nA final Public Hearing will be\r\nMonday, February 24 at 9:00 a.m.\r\n<p>\r\nThe Lowndes County Commission will vote on the subject on Tuesday, February 25.\r\n<p>\r\nSo go to one of these public hearings and speak up,\r\nor call or write your Lowndes County Commissioner.\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align:center;font-size:80%;font-style:italic\">\r\n<a title=\"Collage @ LCC Public Hearing 10 February 2025\" name=\"M:Collage-LCC-Public-Hearing-10-February-2025\" href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/loco\/2025-02-10--lowndes-count-opt-out-hb-581-homestead-exemptions\/many.html\">\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/loco\/2025-02-10--lowndes-count-opt-out-hb-581-homestead-exemptions\/many.jpg\"  alt=\"[Collage @ LCC Public Hearing 10 February 2025]\"><\/a>\r\n<br><a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/loco\/2025-02-10--lowndes-count-opt-out-hb-581-homestead-exemptions\/many.html\">Collage @ LCC Public Hearing 10 February 2025<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\nAfter the videos below, with a few notes by Gretchen Quarterman,\r\nthere is a LAKE video playlist.\r\n<p>\r\nPlus a link to the LAKE video of the Lowndes County Commission decision on January 28, 2025,\r\nto hold these Public Hearings,\r\nand a copy of the Lowndes County press release announcing these Public Hearings.\r\n<p>\r\nAs well as the text of the referendum that appeared on the November 5, 2024, general election ballot,\r\nthe text of HB 581,\r\nand links to guidance by ACCG and GMA,\r\n<p>\r\nPersonally, I find this point alone convincing:\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>\r\nLowndes County already has a $6,000 homestead exemption for homeowners up to 65 years of age and a $10,000 homestead exemption for homeowners 65 and older. These exemptions are significantly more than the state statutory exemptions.\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>\r\nFYI, I have reason to believe the City of Valdosta is equally concerned about HB 581.<!--more-->\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n\r\n<li>\r\n<a name=\"Lowndes-County-Considers-Opting-Out-of-House-Bill-581-Presentation\" href=\"#Lowndes-County-Considers-Opting-Out-of-House-Bill-581-Presentation\">\r\nLowndes County Considers Opting Out of House Bill 581 Presentation<\/a>\r\n<br><a title=\"video: Lowndes County Considers Opting Out of House Bill 581 Presentation\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/tItzSsmkvZc\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"border:none\" alt=\"Lowndes County Considers Opting Out of House Bill 581 Presentation\" src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/tItzSsmkvZc\/hqdefault.jpg\"><\/a>\r\n\r\n<!-- wget -O Lowndes-County-Considers-Opting-Out-of-House-Bill-581-Presentation.jpg 'https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/tItzSsmkvZc\/sddefault.jpg' -->\r\n<!-- list Lowndes-County-Considers-Opting-Out-of-House-Bill-581-Presentation.html\tLowndes County Considers Opting Out of House Bill 581 Presentation -->\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/tItzSsmkvZc\">Video:<\/a>\r\n<br>\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/tItzSsmkvZc\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/tItzSsmkvZc<\/a>\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\nPresentation portion of public hearing.\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n<li>\r\n<a name=\"Lowndes-County-Considers-Opting-Out-of-House-Bill-581\" href=\"#Lowndes-County-Considers-Opting-Out-of-House-Bill-581\">\r\nLowndes County Considers Opting Out of House Bill 581<\/a>\r\n<br><a title=\"video: Lowndes County Considers Opting Out of House Bill 581\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/4rFKvnW78Vo\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"border:none\" alt=\"Lowndes County Considers Opting Out of House Bill 581\" src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/4rFKvnW78Vo\/hqdefault.jpg\"><\/a>\r\n\r\n<!-- wget -O Lowndes-County-Considers-Opting-Out-of-House-Bill-581.jpg 'https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/4rFKvnW78Vo\/sddefault.jpg' -->\r\n<!-- list Lowndes-County-Considers-Opting-Out-of-House-Bill-581.html\tLowndes County Considers Opting Out of House Bill 581 -->\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/4rFKvnW78Vo\">Video:<\/a>\r\n<br>\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/4rFKvnW78Vo\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/4rFKvnW78Vo<\/a>\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\nThe public hearing portion where citizens could comment.\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\nThe commission of course does not answer their questions or engage.\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>\r\nHere is the LAKE video playlist:\r\n<br>\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/youtube.com\/playlist?list=PLshUv86fYkiF2QGnnyECy1XBhotAwGQF2&#038;si=lVgmmp4pwG1e1vTu\">\r\nhttps:\/\/youtube.com\/playlist?list=PLshUv86fYkiF2QGnnyECy1XBhotAwGQF2&#038;si=lVgmmp4pwG1e1vTu<\/a>\r\n<p style=\"text-align:center;font-size:80%;font-style:italic\">\r\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/videoseries?si=lVgmmp4pwG1e1vTu&amp;list=PLshUv86fYkiF2QGnnyECy1XBhotAwGQF2\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\r\n<\/p>\r\n<H4>Lowndes County Commission decision to hold these Public Hearings<\/H4>\r\n<p>\r\nHere is a link to the LAKE video of the Lowndes County Commission\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2025\/02\/videos-tax-assessor-and-land-bank-appointments-assessment-rate-vawa-alcohol-lcc-regular-2024-01-28.html#Publish-the-intent-to-opt-out-of-HB-581\">\r\ndecision on January 28, 2025<\/a>,\r\nto hold these Public Hearings:\r\n<br>\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/skm5cqwS-kY\">\r\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/skm5cqwS-kY<\/a>\r\n<p style=\"text-align:center;font-size:80%;font-style:italic\">\r\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/skm5cqwS-kY?si=yJuIwqtRzqy0KPAx\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\r\n<\/p>\r\n<H4>Lowndes County press release<\/H4>\r\n<p>\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/lowndescounty.com\/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1111\">\r\nLowndes County Considers Opting Out of House Bill 581<\/a>\r\n<blockquote style=\"font-size:100%\">\r\n<p><strong>DATE:<\/strong>  Friday, January 31, 2025\r\n<br><strong>CONTACT:<\/strong>  Meghan Barwick, Public Information Officer\r\n<br><strong>Telephone:<\/strong> (229) 671-2491\r\n<br>\r\nmeghan.barwick@lowndescounty.com\r\n<br>\r\nwww.lowndescounty.com\r\n<p>\r\n<strong>Lowndes County, Georgia:<\/strong> House Bill 581 was authorized by a 2024\r\nconstitutional amendment aimed at creating a floating statewide\r\nhomestead exemption that limits increases in taxable home values to\r\nthe prior year&#8217;s inflation rate.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\nThe legislation recognizes that local governments and school systems\r\nin Georgia are structured differently with regards to revenues\r\nrequired to provide services. Each is provided the option either to\r\nremain a part of the new homestead exemption or to opt out of the\r\nexemption. The very nature of the process and the ballot language\r\npresented provides for local elected officials to evaluate local\r\nprocesses to determine the best option for the citizens that they\r\nserve. If a local government chooses to &ldquo;opt out&rdquo;, it\r\ncan be opted back in by a new homestead exemption implemented in the\r\nfuture. However, if a local government remains &ldquo;in&rdquo;,\r\nthere is not an option in the statute to opt back out in the event\r\nof changed circumstances or unintended consequences.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\nLocal government officials are elected to govern locally. If a local\r\ngovernment or school system stays in, House Bill 581 would erode the\r\nability of local elected officials to represent taxpayers by\r\nnarrowing options for making the best and most efficient allocation\r\nof revenues as tax dollars are returned to citizens through services\r\neach budget year.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\nCurrent considerations for Lowndes County include the following:\r\n<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>\r\nThe gap between the actual fair market value and the capped value will increase over time and could result in a need to increase millage rates to make up the difference in revenue required to provide services.\r\n<li>\r\nHomestead property owners would have stability in the amount of increase annually.\r\n<li>\r\nThe percentage increase would be determined by an inflationary index chosen by the revenue commissioner of the state of Georgia, someone local citizens did not elect.\r\n<li>\r\nThe benefit to homestead property owners would increase over time as long as they own the property.\r\n<li>\r\nThe benefit is also not equitable from the beginning, if ALL homestead properties are not valued properly.\r\n<li>\r\nTaxes on other properties (rentals, businesses, farms, etc.) would increase to make up for the benefit to homestead properties.  This could have a substantial negative impact on business, industry, affordable housing, rental rates, and Lowndes County\u2019s agricultural community.\r\n<li>\r\nTax inequities would be created based on long-term ownership versus newer ownership.\r\n<li>\r\nThe exemption may disincentivize sale of homestead properties.\r\n<li>\r\nIt may also disincentive the recruitment or expansion of businesses to Lowndes County.\r\n<li>\r\nLowndes County already has a $6,000 homestead exemption for homeowners up to 65 years of age and a $10,000 homestead exemption for homeowners 65 and older. These exemptions are significantly more than the state statutory exemptions.\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>\r\nHouse Bill 581 will not have the same consequences for every city,\r\ncounty, and school system across the state. Some local governments\r\nand school systems in Georgia may stay in or opt out partly due to\r\nother local exemptions that provide relief to property owners.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\nLowndes County is sensitive to rising property assessments. Those 65\r\nand older may be financially vulnerable due to increases in the cost\r\nof living to include rising property values. &ldquo;Lowndes County\r\nis committed to working with other local governments and the school\r\nsystems in our community to explore an even more meaningful senior\r\nexemption,&rdquo; stated Chairman Bill Slaughter. &ldquo;An\r\nincreased senior exemption will provide an immediate benefit without\r\nsignificantly shifting a portion of taxes to non-homestead\r\nparcels,&rdquo; Slaughter added.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\nIn accordance with guidelines set forth by House Bill 581, Lowndes\r\nCounty will hold three public hearings as follows:\r\n<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>\r\nMonday, February 10 at 9:00 a.m.\r\n<li>\r\nTuesday, February 11 at 6:00 p.m.\r\n<li>\r\nMonday, February 24 at 9:00 a.m.\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>\r\nAll hearings will be held in the Lowndes County Board of\r\nCommissioners Meeting Chambers, second floor, 327 North Ashley\r\nStreet, Valdosta, Georgia 31601.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n<H4>Amendment 1, November 5, 2024<\/H4>\r\n<p>\r\nThis is what appeared on the November 5, 2024, general election ballot as referendum 1 for a state constitutional amendment:\r\n<blockquote>\r\n<p>\r\n&#8211; 1 &#8211;\r\n<p>\r\nProvides for a general law state-wide homestead exemption that may differentiate among political subdivisions.\r\n<p>\r\nHouse Resolution No. 1022\r\n<p>\r\nGa. L. 2024, p. 1191\r\n<p>\r\n&#8220;(  )  YES\r\n<p>\r\n(  )  NO \r\n<p>\r\nShall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to authorize the\r\nGeneral Assembly to provide by general law for a state-wide\r\nhomestead exemption that serves to limit increases in the assessed\r\nvalue of homesteads, but which any county, consolidated government,\r\nmunicipality, or local school system may opt out of upon the\r\ncompletion of certain procedures?&#8221;\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\nSummary\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\nThis proposal amends Article VII, Section II, Paragraph II of the\r\nGeorgia Constitution to add a new subparagraph (a.1) to authorize\r\nthe General Assembly to provide by general law for a state-wide\r\nuniform homestead exemption. The law may limit this exemption to\r\ndifferent political subdivisions that do not already have existing\r\nhomestead exemptions, and may provide for political subdivisions to\r\nopt out, or for future political subdivisions to opt in.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\nA copy of this entire proposed constitutional amendment is on file\r\nin the office of the judge of the probate court and is available for\r\npublic inspection.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n<H4>HB 581<\/H4>\r\n<p>\r\nThis is the Georgia General Assembly page on HB 581:\r\n<br>\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.legis.ga.gov\/legislation\/64811\">\r\nhttps:\/\/www.legis.ga.gov\/legislation\/64811<\/a>\r\n<p>\r\nThis appears to be the text of HB 581:\r\n<br>\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.legis.ga.gov\/api\/legislation\/document\/20232024\/229562\">\r\nhttps:\/\/www.legis.ga.gov\/api\/legislation\/document\/20232024\/229562<\/a>\r\n<p>\r\nSlides for HB 581 Summary and\r\nGuidance,\r\nACCG &#038; GMA Joint LPC Meeting,\r\nChateau Elan,\r\nSeptember 4, 2024\r\n<br>\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/accg.org\/links\/HB%20581%20LPC%20Presentation%20v2.pdf\">\r\nhttps:\/\/accg.org\/links\/HB%20581%20LPC%20Presentation%20v2.pdf<\/a>\r\n<p>\r\nText PDF of guidance for HB 581 by Association of County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) and Georgia Municipal Association (GMA):\r\n<br>\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/accg.org\/links\/Local%20Government%20HB%20581%20Opt-Out%20Period%20Ends%20March%201.pdf\">\r\nhttps:\/\/accg.org\/links\/Local%20Government%20HB%20581%20Opt-Out%20Period%20Ends%20March%201.pdf<\/a>\r\n<p>\r\n -jsq\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align:center;font-style:italic\">Investigative reporting costs money, for open records requests, copying, web hosting, gasoline, and cameras, and with sufficient funds we can pay students to do further research.  You can <a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/donate\">donate to LAKE today<\/a>!\r\n<br>\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/donate\">\r\nhttp:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/donate<\/a>\r\n<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Update 2025-02-13: The second one: Videos: Lowndes County Considers Opting Out of House Bill 581 Public Hearing 2025-02-11. Here are LAKE videos of yesterday&#8217;s Public Hearing about Lowndes County considering opting out of the statewide homestead exemption legislated last year by HB 581, effective January 1, 2025. There will be another Public Hearing this evening, [&hellip;]","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[20,88,10675],"tags":[8786,6109,8701,4164,8785,12856,12855,8702,8710,12,7,8734,1146,383,6],"class_list":["post-24786","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-law","category-lowndes-county-commission","category-taxes","tag-accg","tag-association-of-county-commissioners-of-georgia","tag-georgia","tag-georgia-municipal-association","tag-gma","tag-hb-581","tag-homestead-exemption","tag-lake","tag-law","tag-lowndes-area-knowledge-exchange","tag-lowndes-county","tag-lowndes-county-commission","tag-property-tax","tag-taxes","tag-valdosta"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p585fK-6rM","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24786","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24786"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24786\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24811,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24786\/revisions\/24811"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24786"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24786"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24786"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}