Savannah city leaders to reject state's property tax proposal
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) – The City of Savannah is publicly rejecting the state's homestead exemption proposal also known as House Bill 581.
The reason being is Savannah and Chatham County homeowners are taxed under the Stephens-Day model, and they said it is better than the state's proposal.
'The new house bill will lock you into a 2024 tax assessment, so if you've had yours locked in for more than a few years, you'd probably want to stay with for a few reasons,' said Savannah realtor Sean Williams of Keller Williams Realty. 'It's going to be a lot cheaper because you've already been locked in for a while, and it also locks in your city taxes not just your county taxes.'
Williams says that way, your city and county taxes will not increase as much as they could under the state's model.
Savannah city leaders, including Mayor Van Johnson and Aldermen, are holding a public forum Tuesday, Jan. 28 at 10 a.m. to hear from homeowners and to explain their position.
Savannah homeowner Bob Rosenwald said he will be in attendance.
'I have a lot of questions,' said Rosenwald, 'and I think what the city needs to do is clarify the issues about Stephens-Day visa-vi 581.'
Rosenwald said he has not made up his mind about what model he prefers, though he has formed an opinion based on his own research.
'I've lived with it for the entire time I've been here, and it's a model that's very good for individuals like me who own a home, but I don't think it's the best thing for the city at large because you're basing home values on many years ago, and inflation is what it is,' said Rosenwald.
Williams sees it differently.
'I think for counties that do not have an exemption already, there is a big pro, it locks your state taxes in place, but for a county like us who has had a Stephens-Day exemption for year, I can't pinpoint what would be an advantage for us,' said Williams.
The city and county have unofficially decided together they will reject the state's exemption.
There will be an official decision made over the course of three public forums, the first being held Tuesday at 10 a.m. at the board of education room at the Eli Whitney Administrative Complex.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Yahoo
$16.5M Storm Water Revenue Bond secured by the city of Norfolk
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) – The City of Norfolk issued a $16.5 million Storm Water Revenue Bond through the Virginia Clean Water Revolving Loan Fund on May 29, which is designed to fund storm water infrastructure improvements across Norfolk. The various projects include enhancements to St. Paul's Blue-Greenway and restoration of shorelines and wetlands across the city. The total cost of the project is expected to reach nearly $18.5 million, but the city is receiving nearly $2 million in principal forgiveness. This means the remaining balance will come at no extra cost to Norfolk. For more information on the project visit the link . Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
31 minutes ago
- Yahoo
‘Southern News, Southern Politics' author to speak at Pitt County Democratic Party meeting
GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) — Author Rob Christensen will speak at Pitt County Democratic Party meeting and host book signing in Greenville, Saturday, June 14th. According to a press release, Christensen will be a guest speaker at the Pitt County Democratic Party meeting on Saturday, June 14, at 10 a.m. at Alice Keene Park, 4561 County Home Road, Greenville. After the meeting, Christensen will have a book signing at Barnes & Noble, located at 3040 Evans Street, Greenville, beginning approximately at noon. Christensen released his latest book Southern News, Southern Politics in March and has also authored The Paradox of Tar Heel Politics and The Rise and Fall of the Branchhead Boys. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
31 minutes ago
- Yahoo
‘Third-best season ever': Over 6.5 million skiers visited Utah's resorts during the season
SALT LAKE CITY () — 'Greatest snow on Earth,' Utah's long-running slogan, is proving itself true after another successful season at Utah's ski resorts. According to Ski Utah, this last season was the third-best in state history. There are 15 ski resorts across Utah, and together they recorded 6,503,635 visitors during the 2024-25 season, which has just wrapped up. According to a press release from Ski Utah, this is the third-highest number of skier visits in state history. This season's skier visits were down 3.6% from last year, the press release says, but the more than 6.5 million visitors this year show a 3.3% increase over Utah's five-year average. Utah's economy benefits greatly from recreation at the ski resorts. Ski Utah's president and CEO, Nathan Rafferty, emphasized skiing's impact on Utah. EXCLUSIVE: Utah man who underwent 120 surgeries advocates for rare disease awareness in Washington, D.C. 'To hit our third-best season ever and generate $2.51 billion for Utah's economy is a major win,' Rafferty is quoted in the release. 'The ski industry in Utah supports approximately 25,000 jobs, and with the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games on the horizon, the eyes of the world will be on us once again. We're excited about the opportunities ahead and grateful to all who helped make this season a success.' Ski Utah says that ski resorts are already hard at work to prepare for the upcoming 2034 Winter Olympics. In the next two years alone, 13 new lifts are expected to finish construction and open, and many resorts are planning upgrades to their mountain areas. 'Utah's future as a global winter destination remains as promising as ever,' Ski Utah concluded. Arizona man drowns along San Juan River in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area Charges for trespassing on border military zones 'not going away' Former Utah Supreme Court Chief Justice Gordon Hall dies at 98 Two women charged with felonies after late-night assault in Logan, charges say Death penalty expert weighs in on Menzies competency ruling and appeal Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
