Latest news with #BryanCountySchoolBoard
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
City of Bloomingdale opts out of HB 581
BLOOMINGDALE, Ga. (WSAV) — The City of Bloomingdale has voted to opt out of House Bill (HB) 581. HB 581 is a homestead tax exemption that locks in assessed value for homeowners if their local government opts in. A brief release from the city on Friday, Feb. 21, read that the city council took action to opt out. Other municipalities and counties in the Coastal Empire region have been bringing up the bill, including the Bryan County School Board, which voted on Tuesday to opt out. The decision spurred debate among constituents. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bryan County state legislators introducing bill to lock in homestead exemption
BRYAN COUNTY, Ga. (WSAV) – State House Representatives for Bryan County plan to introduce a local bill on Tuesday that would target the Bryan County School Board's decision to opt out of the homestead tax exemption. If passed and voted in, House Bill 362 would nullify the school board's plan to opt out, a decision many Bryan County residents have hit out against because it could potentially lead to higher taxes that go toward county schools. 'It is 581, but it's a local bill. So, if you opt out, the people will have another bite at the apple,' State Rep. Ron Stephens (GA-164). 'We've gotten a lot of calls from people who are looking for predictability on their property taxes, and this will give it to them.' H.B. 581 was the original legislation that allowed for the homestead exemption, which is essentially a cap on property taxes. Bryan County itself and several cities within the county have all decided to opt in. However, the school board has made it clear they intend to opt out, citing budget concerns for a growing school district. 'All the revenue comes back, plus a cost of living. So, there's no loss of revenue at all,' Stephens said. According to Rep. Stephens, 66% of taxes in Bryan County go towards the school system. Stephens, Rep. Jesse Petrea (GA-166), Rep. Lehman Franklin (GA-160) and Sen. Ben Watson (GA-01) are working to push the legislation through the state house and senate within the coming days. If the measure does pass, Bryan County residents will vote on it in November. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bryan Co. residents spars with school board over tax exemption
BRYAN COUNTY, Ga. (WSAV) – The Bryan County School Board is at odds with a group of residents about whether to opt into a new tax exemption that could have a significant impact on their wallets. The people of Georgia voted in favor of the homestead tax exemption, or House Bill 581, last November. The exemption now applies to any municipalities that opt in. However, the Bryan County School District said they intend to opt out, which would mean increased tax revenue that would go toward county schools. About a dozen people gathered on the side of Ford Ave Wednesday evening holding signs with slogans like 'save our homes.' 'We started organizing a collective of us. Right now, we're about 300 members where we're trying to inform the community about HB 581 is to save our homes, put out that information to our neighbors and local community and then have our voice heard,' Grant, a Bryan County resident, said. H.B. 581 is a cap on property taxes that locks in assessed value for homeowners if their local government opts in. 'Even though we already voted in the November election, part of the law allows the seven members of the board of education to opt out of that law,' Grant said. Bryan County Schools said that they do intend to opt out. Though, according to a representative for Bryan County, close to 70% of Bryan County voters cast their ballot in favor of the tax exemption. 'The county and the city both are opting in. The school board is the only government entity in Bryan County that is wanting to opt out,' Stephanie Falls, a Bryan County resident, said. Residents said they're most worried about young families who want to buy their first homes or older people on fixed incomes being priced out. 'Of course we want a well-educated community. We would just like to see a better, more fiscally responsible budget,' Falls said. The Bryan County Board of Education (BOE) is hosting a public forum tomorrow night at 6:30 p.m. at the Bryan County BOE Central Office about the tax exemption. News 3 reached out to the board for further comment but have not heard back. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
