Committee advances bill to make key offices nonpartisan in five metro counties The Senate Ethics Committee advanced SB 573 to make certain county offices nonpartisan in five large metro counties (Fulton, Gwinnett, Cobb, Clayton and DeKalb). District attorneys and others warned the change may require a constitutional amendment; the bill’s author said legislative counsel supported the statute as drafted.

A bold new bill could reshape governance in Georgia's largest counties by shifting key offices to nonpartisan elections, sparking heated debates over fairness and constitutional implications.

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#GA #CivicParticipation #GeorgiaCounties #CitizenPortal #ElectionTransparency

Rep. Washburn introduces option for counties to use purchase price as property assessment; appraisers raise enforcement concerns Representative Washburn presented House Resolution 250, a proposed constitutional amendment that would let counties optionally use a property's purchase price as its assessed value, with reassessment only after sale or major improvements; county assessors and local government groups raised enforcement and equity concerns.

A new proposal could change how property is assessed in Georgia, allowing counties to use the sale price as the new value—sparking heated debate among appraisers and local officials.

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#GA #GeorgiaCounties #CitizenPortal #TaxpayerEquity #LocalGovernment #PropertyAssessment

Georgia House Committee revises grant laws for counties with state-owned property House Committee amends grant provisions affecting counties with state-owned unimproved land.

Georgia's House Bill 532 could revolutionize grant funding for counties, but will it create fairness or widen the gap between large and small communities?

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#GA #GrantReform #GeorgiaCounties #EconomicStability #LocalGovernance #CitizenPortal

Georgia General Assembly approves tax reimposition procedures amid emergencies Georgia's governor may waive tax referendum requirements during emergencies for uninterrupted tax collection.

Georgia's House Bill 168 could change the way counties manage taxes during emergencies, igniting debates on fiscal responsibility and public input.

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#GA #EmergencyResponse #GeorgiaCounties #FiscalResponsibility #LocalGovernance #CitizenPortal

Georgia Senators introduce Bill 166 to enhance penalties for code violations Senators propose amendments to increase monetary penalties for repeated county code violations.

Georgia's Senate Bill 166 could transform local governance by imposing tougher penalties for code violations, raising concerns about fairness and community impact.

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#GA #GeorgiaCounties #PublicSafety #CommunityWelfare #LocalGovernance #CitizenPortal