CHATHAM COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC) -Chatham County voters will face a significant decision in November that could affect both their property tax bills and public-school funding when they consider the Chatham County Schools Tax Relief Act.

House Bill 782 would establish enhanced property tax relief for homeowners in the Chatham County school district by creating a new homestead exemption structure. The measure has divided opinions between those seeking taxpayer relief and education officials concerned about potential funding cuts.

How the exemption works

The proposed exemption would equal the difference between the current year’s assessed property value and a base-year value. While Chatham County already has a homestead exemption, state Rep. Jesse Petrea, R-Chatham County, said the current system doesn’t provide adequate protection against rising tax bills.

“That current homestead exemption is not a true floating homestead. It has an annual CPI increase built in,” Petrea said. “So, it isn’t truly a freeze of your property values. So, what we’ve got on the ballot is a measure that will eliminate the CPI increases so that homeowners indeed have a true homestead freeze.”

School district concerns

Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Denise Watts expressed concerns about the measure’s potential impact on education funding. “We have of course rising costs of everything in our economy, we have a house bill that will have implications for us,” Watts said.

The school district warns that the bill could result in significant funding shortfalls.

District 7 representative Stephanie Campbell supports the measure, viewing it as necessary transparency.

“I don’t see this as raising taxes I see it as revealing them,” Campbell said.

However, District 6 representative David Bringman acknowledged the measure would require strategic changes to school funding approaches.

“This will change how much money we’re going to be bringing in based on just keeping the millage rate the same,” Bringman said. “This will definitely change that to reduce how much funding we just passively get. Moving forward, the board, along with the district, will have to do better at strategizing where we want funding to go.”

Petrea emphasized that the legislation focuses on providing taxpayer relief and increasing transparency in local government spending. An identical measure will also appear on Bryan County ballots in November.