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ZEBULON - The Pike County Board of Education met on Tuesday, January 14, 2025 to hold a public hearing regarding House Bill 581. With more than a dozen members of the public in the audience, Superintendent Shane Williamson made a presentation and asked members of the public to speak and ask questions.

There are two more public hearings that are scheduled to present the information that the Board of Education has learned in its investigation into the bill that began last July.

The public is invited to attend those meetings and ask questions or give their opinion on whether the school should remain a part of the current law which will freeze assessments according to HB 581 or opt out of the legislation.

A vote is required to be held by March 1, 2025 if school boards, counties, and cities want to opt out.

The Presentation

HB 581 is a floating tax exemption that limits yearly increases in property values to a state inflation rate that requires reassessment every three years. However, selling the home or making improvements resets the cap on the property.

There is only one opportunity for cities, counties, and schools to opt out of the legislation. If they do not opt out, the cap will start in 2025 based on 2024 values.

A millage rate history was shown on a slide that showed it going from 14.274 mills in 2012 to over 18 mills in 2017, 2018, and 2019 and falling back down to 16.938 mills in 2020 to the current rate of 14 mills in 2023 and 2024.

The school board receives 35% of its budget from local funding. 65% comes from the state with restricted funds that are used for specific purposes including payroll. [Note from the Editor: This is more than just payroll which is what I originally reported.]

Williamson said that when they started looking at the possibilities of how to make up lost revenue, the board was concerned with HB 581 affecting the current millage rate. “We feel like you would be getting a bigger tax break by not going into HB 581,” he said.

The second reason they are looking to opt out is that there is no sunset on this legislation. Once you opt in, you can’t get out.

The third reason is the matter of control. “We feel like local control is better for the budget than turning this over to the state,” he said.

He showed how the local fair share from the state is based on the number of students enrolled. He also showed how the county is required by the state to remain at 14 mills in order to receive Equalization Funding from the state. This is based on the poverty level in the county.

We want to maintain the local control so we can listen to the community and set things on our own.

Other Reasons

Williamson said that there are more than 50% in the RESA area that will be opting out of this legislation. “We don’t have the option to raise a SPLOST like the counties (to help raise any funds that could be lost),” he said.

And we also feel like we won’t be able to help senior citizens if we opt into this bill. [Note from the Editor: Pike County currently has some tax breaks for senior citizens. It sounds as if the Board is examining how to make another tax step for senior citizens.]

“We understand your concerns and appreciate you being here tonight,” he said. “We wanted an opportunity for people to speak on this.”

Statements and Questions

A citizen spoke to the board and said that she agreed with opting out but for another reason. She said that they are starting bad numbers and that there is no way to keep up with inflation or deflation.

It was also said that if our assessments are not correct, that there isn’t an opportunity to fix that after the legislation takes effect. It is an opt in or opt out decision that will be made by March 1. [Note from the Editor: This paragraph was moved in its entirety from below to ensure that it did not appear that the school was commenting on tax assessments.]

A question was raised concerning the millage rate and how it would affect the millage rate for everyone other than those with the homestead exemption if the board opted into this legislation.

Board member Allen Edwards pointed out the difference between local and state control. “We can be removed from office, but we can’t fire someone in Atlanta.”

Discussion after that included comments that if the board opted in and saw that there was a problem in a year, there is no way to get out. It was also said that it was unclear what the cap was going to be from the state.

Williamson said that we ought to have more information than we have about how this will work. “The unknowns are massive.”

Board member Blaine Hoopes said, “If we do nothing, we are automatically in. We are only talking about homestead exemption properties.”

Board member Marcie Bradberry made the following points. What you buy a new house at, that is what the home is assessed at. The new home buyer has to pay the higher rate while others will have a lower rate. She said that it will stagnate growth within our county. She also said that new home buyers will carry the burden, and it will limit people moving within our county or people moving into our county including those who grew up here and want to move back home raise their kids. “Children moving into the county are bearing the burden.”

Closing

A question was asked on whether there will be more information at the end of the public hearing, and Williamson said that will present further information at the next two meetings if they get it. The meeting was adjourned at 7:38 p.m.

There will be two more meetings in which the public can attend to voice concerns, state opinions, and ask questions.

The public hearings will be held at the Pike County Schools Auditorium located at 7362 Hwy. 19 South, Zebulon, GA 30295 on Monday, January 27, 2025 at 6:00 pm and on Tuesday, February 11, 2025 at 7:00 pm.

The January 14 and February 11 public hearing dates are on the same date as regular school board meetings with a work session at 5 pm and the school board meeting at 6 pm. This will give the community an opportunity to see who our local school board members are and how our local school board operates.

Click here to read “Pike County Board of Education to Hold Meetings on HB 581.” This is an interview that took place prior to the public hearings and has some in depth information about the legislation and the school system: pikecountytimes.com/secondary/BREAKINGNEWSschoolHB581.html.

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