HB581 and the Battle Over Property Tax Appraisals: The Fight for Fairness in Georgia

We have done so much work on HB581, it was voted statewide by 66% and the county by county it was voted in overwhelmingly. The counties in the North Georgia area all voted in agreement of the amendment. There are a handful of Senators that are trying to do the right thing but the house is so liberal. When the Senate passed the bill without an opt out option. HB581 deals with capping the appraisal values across the state. Many of the local governments have used the increased appraisals to increase their budgets under the guise of reducing the millage rates. The governments have to admit to their taxpayers that they are willing to raise the property taxes above the rate of inflation. The house couldn't accept the bill as is because of the associations that lobbied to give an opt out clause.
The counties, cities and board of education are opting out. Colton Moore sent out a letter to the tax authorities of Northwest Georgia. Why didn’t these agencies come out in front of these voters to campaign against? Because they didn’t have to worry about who voted for it because of the opt out clause.