Gwinnett County property owners who addressed the county’s school board on a proposal to opt out of a statewide homestead exemption had one clear message for board members on Thursday: Don’t do it.
Nine residents addressed the board during the first of three public hearings on Gwinnett County Public Schools opting out of the homestead exemption this week. District officials said the school system would be hurt financially by the new exemption, and need the money for efforts such as higher teacher pay.
But, the property owners responded by pointing out they are being hurt by rising high property tax bills on top of inflation — and that a majority of voters supported the exemption when it was on the ballot last November…