So throw this recent development at the Georgia Capitol today onto the discussion pile as we begin debating the merits of a Decatur tax increase to build more school infrastructure.

The AJC reports that the Georgia House of Representatives passed a bill this morning that will increase the sales tax in DeKalb County to 8%, matching Fulton County’s current rate.  The tax would raise about $100 million a year for capital improvements around the County.

But that’s not all — the legislation would also use the EXISTING 1 penny sales tax to reduce county residents’ property taxes.

How much money are we talking here?  Well, luckily Rep. Mike Jacobs used Decatur in his hypothetical example…

For example, property taxes would decrease by $625 on a $300,000 home in Decatur, Jacobs said. On a $500,000 Decatur home, property taxes would drop $1,065.

So, it seems like if this bill were to pass, it would more than offset the increase Decatur residents would see if they approved a $82 million GO Bond for the school system.  Tax increase estimates for the GO Bond have been estimated in the range of $667 – $864 on a $500,000 home, depending on the amortization period.

The bill now advances to the Georgia Senate for consideration.

Photo: Georgia Capitol by Connor.carey at via Wikimedia Commons

State Rep. Mike Jacobs is calling out DeKalb County for the property reassessment notices that just went out…

They’re at it again.

The DeKalb County Tax Assessors have sent out reassessment notices. Having received one this year, and having heard from many of my constituents who have received one, it appears that there is a common thread in this year’s crop of reassessments.

The common thread is that, if you filed a Form PT-50R Georgia Real Property Tax Return (click for an article that I previously wrote on how to file this form), the tax assessors included the amount that you provided on your Property Tax Return as the “previous year’s value” for the bygone 2009 tax year. Then, the assessors increased that amount to what had been your 2009 assessment amount, telling you that the old 2009 amount would be the “current year’s value” for the 2010 tax year.

More from Jacobs on what you should do if you received one of these reassessment notice HERE.

h/t: Decatur Tax Blog