Georgia lawmakers push local governments to reconsider escaping a property tax cap

Georgia’s voters said in November that they wanted property tax relief, but many local governments are holding on to their power to raise taxes despite the statewide vote.

Now state lawmakers are trying to push local governments to reconsider and agree to limit how much of a home’s increasing value can be taxed.

From 2018 to 2023, the total assessed value of property across Georgia rose by nearly 61%, according to figures from the Georgia Department of Revenue. Values rose so fast that most local governments pocketed increased revenue even as they lowered tax rates, and statewide property tax collections rose 44% from 2018 to 2023.