The Coweta County Board of Education will hold four public hearings in January and February which allow the board to consider opting out of the statewide adjusted base year ad valorem homestead exemption for the Coweta County School System.
All concerned citizens are invited to the public hearings on this matter to be held at the Board of Education Office, 167 Werz Industrial Boulevard, Newnan, Georgia, on January 28, 2025 at 6:30 p.m., February 4, 2025 at 6:00 p.m., and February 11, 2025 at 12:00 p.m.
The first public hearing on this matter was held on January 14, 2025 at 12:00 p.m., at the Board of Education Office, 167 Werz Industrial Boulevard, Newnan, Georgia.
In 2024, the Georgia General Assembly passed, and Governor Kemp signed, HB 581 (O.C.G.A. 48-5-44.2) which impacts property taxes for cities, counties, and school districts. The bill creates a statewide floating homestead exemption which has a direct impact on school districts as an inflation cap on property tax assessments. The bill required a constitutional amendment (HR 1022) which passed with public approval on November 5, 2024.
The constitutional amendment approved by voters allows any county, consolidated government, municipality, or local school system a single opportunity to opt out of the exemption by March 1, 2025, upon the completion of certain procedures, including the holding of at least three public hearings.
The public hearings and the board’s approval of this option will not impact the school system’s current millage rate of 15.41 mills, approved in August of 2024, and will not have an impact on the status of other local governments. Completion of these hearings and other requirements would allow the Board of Education to consider opting out of HR 1022, and maintain the Coweta County Board of Education’s current and historical local governance authority.
*This press release was updated January 11, 2025, to include the addition of a 4th public hearing on February 11, 2025, at 12:00 p.m., in addition to previously-announced public hearings.
It was also updated on January 25, 2025, to include the rescheduling of the public hearing set for Tuesday, January 21, 2025, for Tuesday, February 4, 2025, due to inclement winter weather and the Governor’s State of Emergency declared at that time.
All meetings will be held at the Board of Education Office, 167 Werz Industrial Boulevard, Newnan, Georgia. Public advertisements for these dates are linked in additional information, below.
Additional information:
Public Advertisement for Intent to Opt Out of Homestead Exemption (January 25, 2025)
