Marietta residents could lose the property tax protections they just voted for. The city is looking at opting out of Georgia’s new property tax cap, which limits increases in property taxes to the rate of inflation.
Voters passed the cap in November with overwhelming support, but Marietta leaders are now pushing to bypass it. Under state law, cities, counties, and schools can opt out of the tax cap.
The law also requires three public hearings to be scheduled to make sure residents are informed about the changes.
The City’s Reasoning: The city’s floating homestead exemption freezes taxable home values at the purchase price, shielding residents from rising assessments. By contrast, the state cap permits annual increases tied to inflation. City officials say opting out would avoid duplicating systems and ensure Marietta’s exemption remains the default option.
The city also cites potential savings in administrative costs and staff time as reasons to stick with its own system, which has been in place for 23 years.
Why It Matters: Homeowners backed the tax cap to stop sudden spikes in property assessments and taxes due to sharply increasing post-Covid property values. The law took effect January 1, but cities can opt out—giving them freedom to raise assessments beyond inflation.
Marietta officials insist the city’s exemption provides stronger protections than the state’s plan and would reduce confusion for taxpayers. They also point out that state law ensures residents automatically receive the more favorable of the two exemptions.
What Residents Can Do: The city has scheduled three public hearings to discuss the proposed opt-out. These hearings are required by state law to ensure the public has an opportunity to comment before a final decision is made.
What’s Next: The hearings will take place on January 28 at 4:45 p.m., February 12 at 6:30 p.m., and February 25 at 4:45 p.m. All hearings will be held at City Hall. The City Council is expected to vote on the issue during a special meeting immediately following the final hearing on February 25.
Residents concerned about potential changes can attend the meetings or submit comments to city officials. For more information on the current exemption or the hearings, visit the city’s website or contact the tax division at City Hall.
In The Know: While much attention is given to national politics and the workings of Congress and the White House, local government meetings are where the decisions that impact your daily life are made. City Council, County Commission, School Board Meetings, and Town Halls are where your elected leaders discuss and decide the issues that most effect your family and your community. These meetings are open to the public.
Each week, The Georgia Sun highlights some of the meetings and local government actions you need to know about in your community to keep you informed and to make sure you know what decisions your elected officials are considering and how your tax dollars are being spent.
Update Log: Originally written Jan. 2. Updated, January 14 to include additional information from the city of Marietta about existing exemptions.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
