AUGUSTA, Ga. () – Augusta leaders said it was not an easy call, whether to help homeowners or other taxpayers.

“We have to take into consideration everybody – business folks and homeowners and then again, the renters. We do have a lot of renters in Augusta, Georgia,” said Commissioner Catherine Smith Rice.

Commissioners voted to opt out of the floating sales tax exemption that would hold home values at the rate of inflation. This would have benefited home owners by keeping property taxes in check.
“A lot of my constituents are not homeowners, some of them may live in a house but they don’t own the house. There’s a lot of renters in District One and District Two. We need to make sure we are protecting them too,” said Commissioner Francine Scott.
Back in November, sixty-two percent of voters supported the new exemption but city leaders say it would have come with a cost to taxpayers.
‘If we adopt this House Bill 581, it doesn’t say the taxes will not go up it will,” said Mayor Pro-Tem Wayne Guilfoyle.  
But commissioners looking for other ways to provide relief asking the administrator for local options, like offering a similar homestead exemption but to just to seniors and low income.
“Nothing is off the table. That’s why we have these meetings so we can discuss things and we can get the point of view of commissioners who represent different district,” said Commissioner Stacy Pulliam.
On an 8 to 2 vote, commissioners said no to the homestead exemption voters wanted in November but are preparing to present to the state next month a local homestead exemption plan.