Hearing complaints over property taxes, some Georgia lawmakers look to limit rising values

FILE - This June 20, 2019, file photo shows an existing home is offered for sale in Rutledge, Ga. Georgia lawmakers are proposing measures in 2024 to stem higher property tax bills driven by a sharp rise in property values. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)

With a runup in home values sparking higher property taxes for many Georgia homeowners, there is a groundswell among state lawmakers in this election year to provide relief.

Georgia’s Senate Finance Committee plans a hearing on Monday on a bill limiting increases in a home’s value, as assessed for property tax purposes, to 3% per year. The limit would last as long as the owner maintained a homestead exemption. Voters would have to approve the plan in a November referendum.

Meanwhile, Republican House Speaker Jon Burns of Newington proposes doubling the state’s homestead tax exemption, a measure likely to cut tax bills by nearly $100 million statewide.