Referendum information available on City website

November ballot questions consider additional exemptions for homesteads, and seniors/disabled

Brookhaven, GA, Oct. 10, 2019 – Information about two Brookhaven-specific referendum questions is now available on the City website.  The Brookhaven City Council voted to approve the following referenda in May of this year:

City of Brookhaven General Homestead Exemption:  The referendum question at left will appear on the Nov. 5 Special Election ballot for Brookhaven voters.

Upon its creation in Dec. 2012, Brookhaven adopted DeKalb County’s property tax exemption limits for homesteaded properties.  The current homestead tax exemption is $20,000.  The question is whether the homestead exemption should increase from $20,000 to $40,000 over a five-year period ($4,000 annually each year for five years beginning in 2020). 

If fully implemented, the homestead exemption would reduce average City property taxes by $52.50 per homesteaded property annually.

City of Brookhaven Homestead Exemption for Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons: 

The referendum question at right will appear on the Nov. 5 Special Election ballot for Brookhaven voters.

Upon its creation in Dec. 2012, Brookhaven adopted DeKalb County’s property tax exemption limits for homesteaded properties and for seniors and disabled residents.  This referendum would decide whether the senior/disabled exemption would be increased from $14,000 to $160,000 over a five-year period. ($29,200 annually each year over a five-year period beginning in 2020). 

If approved, after five years City property taxes would be reduced to zero for 85 percent of seniors who currently receive the senior/disabled exemption. For the remaining homeowners currently receiving the senior/disabled exemption, the average City property tax reduction would be $189.98 annually once fully implemented.

Fiscal impact:  If both measures are approved, the combined fiscal impact of property tax reductions for seniors, the disabled, and homestead properties will total approximately $2 million over five years.

For more information, visit: https://www.brookhavenga.gov/citymanager/page/information-about-brookhaven-referendum-questions

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