ATLANTA, Jan 30, 2026, 02:31 (EST)
- Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns unveiled a plan to eliminate property taxes on primary residences by 2032, pending approval of a constitutional amendment.
- The proposal aims to broaden the state’s homestead exemption while redirecting additional local funding to sales taxes and service charges.
- Senate Republicans are backing a different bill that would cap annual taxable-value increases across the state and prevent local governments from opting out.
Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns rolled out a plan to eliminate property taxes on owner-occupied homes by 2032, contingent on voter approval of a constitutional amendment. The proposal calls for gradually increasing the state’s homestead exemption—currently a tax break for primary residences—over the next decade as the tax phaseout proceeds.
Property tax relief is now front and center at the Georgia Capitol as lawmakers debate different plans to ease homeowner bills. House leaders want to scrap homestead property taxes altogether, while the Senate is backing a statewide limit on how fast a home’s taxable value can increase.
The battle in Georgia reflects a broader movement in several Republican-led states as rising property values drive tax bills upward. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott have both pushed for major property tax reforms, while North Dakota is using oil revenue to cut homeowner bills, according to an Associated Press report. “We’re very much in this property tax revolt era,” said Manish Bhatt, vice president of state tax policy at the Tax Foundation. Bangor Daily News
Atlanta News First reported that the House package centers on HR 1114, dubbed the HOME Act by its sponsors. The bill aims to phase out homeowner property taxes completely by 2032 through expanding the homestead exemption. Under the plan, local governments could redirect local option sales taxes, increase local rates, or reduce spending. It would also cap and itemize certain service bills, the station noted. Additionally, the proposal includes another round of $500 homeowner tax relief grants, totaling $850 million. Supporters will need Democratic backing to hit the two-thirds majority required for a constitutional amendment.
The Association County Commissioners of Georgia estimates an annual revenue shortfall exceeding $5 billion for schools and local governments, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Under Burns’ proposal, cities, counties, and school districts could shift more revenue to sales taxes or impose “assessments”—fees based on services rather than property values—while commercial and multifamily properties would still face property taxes, capped at 3% annual growth. The plan requires a two-thirds majority in both legislative chambers and voter approval statewide this November, the newspaper added. ajc
Senate Bill 382 aims to impose mandatory annual caps on home value increases and eliminate local opt-outs, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones announced. According to Jones, the legislation would “limit increases in home values” from one year to the next and require “more accountability and transparency” from local officials when proposing higher property taxes. Lieutenant Governor of Georgia
Replacing that revenue is the tricky part. Property taxes bankroll schools and essential services, while sales taxes and fees don’t increase uniformly statewide. Some areas might simply lack the capacity to hike rates enough to cover the shortfall. Adam Langley from the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy called completely wiping out homeowner property taxes “very difficult” and “undesirable” in many regions. spectrumlocalnews.com
The proposal would eliminate about $5.2 billion in homeowner property taxes—over a quarter of the $19.9 billion expected to be collected statewide in 2024—and shift the burden onto localities to rely more heavily on existing or new sales taxes, the Associated Press reported. It aims to increase the tax-exempt home value from $5,000 currently to $150,000 by 2031, with most homeowner property taxes disappearing entirely the following year. Local governments would still be able to bill annually for services like garbage collection and fire protection. The plan’s backers haven’t yet decided if unpaid assessments could eventually lead to homeowners losing their properties. Burns is also pushing for about $1 billion in state funding to support a tax cut in 2026, AP noted.
Burns anticipates “overwhelming support” and insists that safeguarding a homestead transcends party lines, Weekly Real Estate News reported. The package must still pass the legislature before heading to voters in November. wrenews.com
