Decatur Senior Homestead Exemption Passes House

DECATUR, GA -- After briefly being snarled by political maneuvering, a bill giving seniors a break on Decatur school taxes has passed in the Georgia House.

The bill, which has already cleared the Senate, passed in the House on a 155-1 vote on Wednesday.

Senate Bill 343 would exempt homeowners 65 and older from paying property taxes for Decatur City Schools, if voters approve the plan.

"Today’s passage of Decatur’s senior homestead exemption was no small feat," Decatur Board of Education chairwoman Annie Caiola said in a post on the city's blog. "The School Board is tremendously grateful to our City Commissioners, our State Legislators and our seniors who worked hard to get this important legislation passed. It just goes to show what our community is capable of when we work together."

Sponsored by Sen. Elena Parent, an Atlanta Democrat whose district includes parts of Decatur, the bill was one of five Decatur homestead exemption bills that moved through the General Assembly this session.

The other four sailed through. But Senate Bill 343 was stalled after a motion by Rep. Beth Beskin, a Republican from Fulton County.

Beskin later said she had no problem with the bill's content and, in fact, was attempting to leverage it in an effort to gain support for a similar measure in Fulton County.

Next, Gov. Nathan Deal must sign Decatur's homestead exemption measures into law. If signed, all five plans will be on the ballot in November for voters to approve or decline.

(Photo via Wikimedia Commons)