Bill Would Cap Property Tax Assessment Increases

ATLANTA, GA -- State Senator John Albers has pre-filed six bills addressing property tax assessments in Fulton County, a move that comes months after residents over the summer received notices showing jaw-dropping double-digit increases in their property values.

The six pieces of legislation were all filed Friday, Dec. 1, and Albers said he intends to get the bills passed during the 2018 legislative session.

"Work was done in advance to ensure everyone is on the same page and that each piece of legislation moves efficiently through the legislative process," said Albers, a Republican from Roswell. "We must do all we can to protect our citizens and make sure they are not dealt the same card twice like the tax fiasco they experienced earlier this year. It is imperative that we pass this legislation, give the citizens an opportunity to vote and show those who elect us that we can fix what is broken by providing solutions quickly and efficiently."

Each piece of legislation would change property tax assessments for the cities of Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Milton, Mountain Park and Roswell as well as the Fulton County School System. The legislation would limit the tax increase residents see each year by creating a 3-percent cap on property tax assessment increases (Albers said the city of Sandy Springs already has this mechanism in place).

The legislation would also address property tax exemptions, and includes referendum language that would leave the implementation of the laws to a vote by the citizens of each respective city and the Fulton school system.

Earlier this year, the Senate State and Local Government Operations Committee, chaired by Sen. Albers, held a meeting to address the 2017 property tax assessment issue. After the meeting, the Fulton County Commission issued a reversal for the 2017 property tax assessments. Copies of the pre-filed legislation can be found here.

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