Georgia Homestead Exemption Abolished - For Now...

Monday, June 22, 2009

by Joe Loomer

Since 1999, Georgia property owners who applied for a "homestead exemption" on their primary residence received about a $200 reduction on their annual property taxes for their primary residence. The vehicle for this tax break came in the form of the Homeowners Tax Relief Grant (HTRG).

Due to the economic recession, the 2009 Georgia Assembly failed to appropriate funds for the HTRG. The Grant will only be made available in the future if the state revenues grow at least 3%, plus the rate of inflation.

What this means to all Georgia homeowners who have filed for the homestead exemption is that you can expect at least a $200 hike in your property taxes for 2009.

One additional step you may want to take is to ensure you have your 2008 valuation handy when you receive your 2009 tax bill. Compare the two - and if you have any concerns, contact the Tax Assessor for the county your home is in. Keep in mind that any increase in your tax burden can be appealed.

The Columbia County Tax Assessor's office actually posts what areas they intend to visit within the next 90 days to assess 2009 tax values. you can find this list by clicking here.

If you are registered for the homestead exemption and pay your taxes via your mortgage lender's escrow account, remember to budget for the $200 shortfall when your lender pays your tax bill.

by ED

11/5/2009

I say, throw anyone in office out now and elect all new officeholders. The government is corrupt and anything they do fails and costs us too much.
by W. Brown (ret.)

10/25/2009

Are we starting a Communist Government? It sounds like the government is moving in that direction by taking steps to take our homesteads for their own use. What an inopportune time raise our taxes. Politicians are scoundrels and we cannot trust any of them. All this is going on while they are voting themselves raises. How low can they get? I think we know!
by Mary Gill

10/19/2009

I'm confused, does the state of Georgia offer Homestead Exemption?
by Angry Citizen

9/18/2009

Look at this game they are playing - the politicians don't want to look like bad guys for raising our property taxes - so they "take away" our homestead exemption because of "taxpayer shortfall" - in our words - it's supposedly our fault for NOT PAYING ENOUGH TAXES! What a load of crap! It is just another tax increase due to their lack of management and budgeting - but they gave themselves raises this year! Let's FIRE these idiots and put in a candidate who will PERMANENTLY remove property taxes. The government has NO RIGHT to have a life-long lien on our property which can NEVER be paid off!
by Dr. Bob (ret.)

8/19/2009

Speaking of lies & liars, we must understand that "federal" reserve notes are not backed by silver or gold. Such phoney money is printing press counterfeit notes under govt. permission, approval, & guarantee. Since the "fed" is still alive today, we conclude that govt. employees are taught, forced, &/or brainwashed to lie to continue the hoax that the "fed" is a legitimate, Constitutional entity. In reality it is Rothschilds" baby, designed to lead USA & all under such central banks to bankruptcy & total meltdown. We must overcome, free USA of the tax tzars, and have our HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION restored.
by Ms. Amy

8/19/2009

If our local government wants us to stimulate the economy, taking away our homestead is not going to help. Christmas will be slight, if any, which in turn means less money going to the economy. What gives?
by marvin vaughn

8/17/2009

Senior citizens with limited income are huet worse than anyone else. This proves that government state or federal is opressive.
by Dr. Bob (ret.)

8/12/2009

I'm surprised others aren't joining in this conversation....... Robbing us of the HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION proves that "What govt. gives us it can take away." Yet, how can govt. give anything, except it first steals it from Sovereign Citizens? Abe Silverstein's career-long dream, i.e., the American System/the Whig System, was complete by 1863. He destroyed the founders' federalist system, instigated the protectionist tariff, pervasive federal taxation, a central banking system, & increased central govt. Silverstein was the Great Lying Centralizer, not the "great emancipator." Now we're all SLAVES. RESTORE THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.
by Dr. BB (ret.)

8/11/2009

I will always resist centralized govt. such as CorpWashDC. Abe Silverstein wanted a centralized, activist govt., but the South opposed him. So he waged a war of aggression and genocide to destroy the South's resistance. To do so he subverted the Constitution, trampled on States' Rights, launching a fratricidal war to sacrifice States' Rights for federal supremacy. Stealing this Homestead Exemption is a similar act of aggression. We refuse to be so treated. DON'T TREAD ON US.
by Dr. Bob (ret.)

8/10/2009

You say no comments yet submitted, yet I submitted one on Aug. 9. I protested your stealing our Homestead exemption from us, and appealed to return it to us. This is a repeat of what Abraham Silverstein, aka, "Lincoln" did in the 1860s. Then taxes were increased by intolerable amounts so govt. agents could confiscate lands for "unpaid taxes." By 1872 property taxes in the South were about 4 times the rate in 1860. We as Sovereign Residents request, no demand, that you restore the Homestead exemption to us. We can't afford not having it. Please hear us.
by Dr. Brooks (ret.)

8/9/2009

This is another step to implement another plank in the Communist Manifesto, i.e., government takeover of all private property. You say taxes can be appealed, but that is like saying to the wolf, "Please don't kill me." It's the fault of Congress that America has reached this meltdown, so they wish to $2oo, so that means you will eventually take our propertpenalize us further by taxing us to pay for their mistakes. We cannot afford to pay this, so that means that you will take our propert y from us, doesn't it? Please allow us our $200 Homestead Exemption, which we have had for about 10 yrs.