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The Troup County Board of Commissioners has approved a $150 rebate on county property taxes.

The unexpected announcement came during the commissioner’s board meeting on Tuesday evening. Commission Chairman Patrick Crews said he asked the county manager to look into potentially returning some money to the citizens of Troup County to counteract housing inflation.

The board approved a one-time tax rebate to all homestead properties in Troup County. The rebate will affect the 12,907 homestead properties in Troup County, returning around $2 million to the citizens.

“Everyone in this room is aware that for the last couple of years, our nation has been in the grips of inflation, it’s affecting each and every one of us. We also know that the tax system that we have is based on the values of property, and we’ve seen a lot of increases in property values across the country. So this is a big issue for a lot of people,” Crews said. “We feel an obligation, if we can, to return some of those funds back to the citizens.”

County Manager Eric Mosley said that giving the rebate rather than lowering the millage rate allows the county to target the tax relief to those who need it the most rather than businesses or apartment complexes.

“If you lower the millage rate, you’re lowering for KIA, you’re lowering it for Duracell, you’re lowering it for apartments, for everybody. So we really wanted to be able to affect actual homeowners,” Mosley said.

Mosley also noted that lowering the millage rate would be a more permanent change. He said the county is unsure if they will be able to offer a similar rebate next year.

The rebate covers up to $150 of the county portion of property owners’ upcoming tax bills and does not apply to taxes levied by the Troup County School System, which amounts to about 64% of most residents’ tax bills.

If your homestead property tax assessment is less than $150, you will now see a $0 balance on that part of your bill.

“If your home [taxes] are under $150, say you owe $75 in taxes and you’re getting up to that $150 rebate, you’re not going to get $75 back,” Tax Commissioner Shane Frailey explained. “The county is agreeing to give a $150 maximum to every homestead residential property.”

“The Board of Commissioners is very pleased to be able to approve a reduction in property tax for homestead property owners,” Crews said. “We certainly understand the challenges due to inflation and the rising property values on our homeowners. By being conservative in the fiscal management of our budget, creating new revenue streams and taking advantage of external funding opportunities, we can create this relief.”

To apply for a homestead exemption, visit the Tax Assessors’ Office. The application period runs from Jan. 1 to April 1 each year, so the rebate will not be available for those who have not already signed up for homestead status.

For those having issues with their property appraisals, the appeals period has also ended but
Deputy Chief Appraiser Dan Smith said they can still take a look at residents’ tax assessments to ensure there are no errors.