Georgia House Bill HR250

Georgia 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/12/25

Caption

Local government; adopt an alternative method of appraisal and assessment of real property located within the county for taxation; provide - CA

Impact

If ratified, HR250 would significantly change how real property is appraised in Georgia, granting local authorities the flexibility to implement methods suited to their communities. The new approach could potentially reduce litigation related to property assessments while enabling earlier data availability for budgeting purposes. Furthermore, it could help curb harmful gentrification practices by providing clearer and more consistent valuation methods, thereby potentially safeguarding residents from sudden spikes in property taxes and displacement.

Summary

House Resolution 250 proposes an amendment to the Georgia Constitution allowing counties and consolidated governments to adopt alternative methods for appraising and assessing real property for taxation. The motivation behind the bill is to enhance transparency in property valuation, reduce administrative expenses, and streamline the assessment process. It suggests using recent purchasing prices as the primary basis for determining property tax values rather than relying solely on standard appraisal methods. This change aims to minimize taxpayer appeals and disputes, which often arise from vague appraisal processes.

Contention

While HR250 has the potential to streamline tax assessment processes, the bill may also raise concerns regarding the uniformity and fairness of valuations across different counties. Critics might argue that giving individual counties the power to choose their assessment methods could lead to inequalities and disparities in how property values are determined. There is potential for contention over what constitutes a 'substantial improvement' to property, which could affect tax liability. Additionally, the reliance on recent sales prices may disadvantage residents whose properties were undervalued in past assessments.