Local property taxpayers who own a primary residence in Bulloch County should see stabilization in their annual tax bills after the Bulloch County Board of Education decided to allow a new statewide property tax exemption to take effect. The school district’s preliminary estimates indicate that it will save local homeowners more than $1 million annually in property taxes.
Under Georgia House Bill 581, known as the "Property Tax Relief and Reform for Georgians," a statewide homestead exemption limits property tax increases to a state-established inflation factor. Local governments, including school districts, had the option to opt out of the exemption by March 1, 2025. However, the Bulloch County Board of Education chose to take no action, which means that the exemption will automatically go into effect and benefit homeowners who pay taxes on their primary residence.
The Board has listened to community feedback over the past few years, particularly during its public hearings related to setting the district’s millage rate, and has reflected upon the burden that inflationary tax increases, resulting from rapid property value increases, have had on homeowners trying to keep up with the cost of maintaining their primary residence. As a result, the Board decided to allow the state-established inflationary cap on property revaluations, for the purposes of collecting property taxes, to take effect for owners of primary residences.
For example, homeowners in Bulloch County who saw their homestead property value rise significantly in recent years, and resultantly saw their property tax bill go up, might have expected that pattern to continue. However, with the Board choosing not to opt out of House Bill 581, those same homeowners' property tax bills will be limited by the inflationary cap on property values. In essence, while this reduces property tax revenues to the school district, it provides direct financial relief to homeowners by keeping property taxes lower and more stable.
Bulloch County is among approximately 34 school districts across Georgia that have chosen not to opt out of the exemption.
“Our district will continue to monitor its financial outlook as the exemption takes effect,” said Charles Wilson, superintendent of schools. “We currently have the financial capacity to allow this exemption to take effect and serve its intended purpose, while evaluating its longer-term effect for future budget considerations. We remain committed to being a good steward of the community’s resources while providing a quality education for our students.”
