Latest news with #Stephens-Day
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Stephens-Day creator proposes new homestead exemption for Chatham County School District
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — It has been 25 years since Georgia Rep. Ron Stephens (R-164) created and co-authored the Stephens-Day homestead exemption, freezing property taxes for Chatham County homeowners. The model still stands, and it freezes taxes for every municipality or district except school district. Rep. Stephens' latest idea, now House Bill (HB) 782, would change that in the 2026 tax year if the people for it. 'It would make the county, school board, Port Wentworth, Garden City, Bloomingdale, Tybee Island, Vernonburg, all those of cities the same so they would know exactly what their property taxes are going be the next year, and it is essentially a freeze,' Stephens said. He said the bill, known as the Chatham County Schools' Tax Relief Act, gives homeowners more predictability in their taxes, freezing them to what they were the previous year. 'We've gotten to the point, with this rapid growth in our area, that people are looking for some sort of predictability on their property taxes,' he said. HB 782 must pass a vote in the Georgia House of Representatives and Senate before it makes the ballot this November. 'For the first time, if you vote for it, this November, for the first time in 2026, you're going to know exactly what your property taxes are going to be from the previous year,' said Stephens. HB 782 will face its first hurdle in the house Tuesday. Representatives Jesse Petrea (R-166), Carl Gilliard (D-162) and Bill Hitchens (R-161) are co-sponsoring the bill. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Savannah-Chatham County School Board votes to opt out of HB 581
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — The Savannah Chatham County Public School System (SCCPSS) has voted to opt out of House Bill (HB) 581. The bill, which has been up for debate in multiple nearby counties, allows Georgia public school systems and municipalities to consider a floating homestead exemption for property owners that would have impacts on tax revenue. The yea votes included school board members Denise Grabowski, Dionne Hoskins-Brown, Cornelia Hall, Paul Smith and Tonia Howard-Hall. The no votes included Shawn Kachmar, Roger Moss and Stephanie Campbell. David Bringman was not in attendance for the vote. The main reason for the school district's decision to opt out of HB 581, as articulated by School officials say that the 'pros for opting in are not the same in Chatham County as most other counties,' due in large part to the existing Stephens-Day Exemption. The Chatham County Board of Assessors describes Stephens-Day as 'A homestead exemption that is equal to the difference between the current year fair market value and the adjusted base year value (property's value in the year prior to the homestead application plus any improvements since the year of the application).' Stephens-Day has been in place for nearly three decades. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
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.
