Thursday, March 12, 2026
Georgia State Senate
Georgia State Capitol
206 Washington Street SW
Atlanta, GA 30334
Members of the Georgia Senate,
On behalf of National Taxpayers Union (NTU), America’s oldest taxpayer advocacy organization, I thank you for the opportunity to offer our strong support and express our insights on the Truth in Taxation provisions in HB 1116, the Homeownership Opportunity and Market Equalization Act of 2026. At a time when families are being squeezed by rising costs, Georgians—like many Americans—are feeling increasing pressure from property taxes, even with millage rates rolled back. Truth in Taxation provides a proven, common sense solution to limit the effects of property taxes and improve transparency for taxpayers.
Since 2020, inflation and a constrained housing supply have driven sharp increases in property values, and, in turn, property tax bills across the country. Georgians are being hit with larger-than-expected tax increases on the homes they already own. At the same time, property taxes remain a stable revenue source for local governments, meaning that eliminating them outright would likely shift the burden to more economically harmful forms of taxation.
Truth in Taxation strikes a reasonable balance between these competing dynamics. By simply requiring officials to notify taxpayers of rate increases beyond the rollback rate, this policy ensures taxpayers are informed before—not after—decisions are made. Georgia’s taxpayers will be empowered to participate in the local budgeting process rather than be surprised when their property tax bill arrives. Requiring local elected officials to justify tax increases to voters does not eliminate their ability to raise revenue when needed, rather it ensures those decisions are transparent and accountable.
Some may question whether transparency alone will lead to real property tax relief, but experience shows that voter participation restrains tax growth. What has driven concern in recent years has been the insidious, passive increases in property tax assessments, which have risen unconstrained. Truth in Taxation ensures that only Georgians’ elected representatives at the local level can raise their taxes, not market fluctuation. As a national organization, we have observed numerous attempts by states to reform their property tax systems. Truth in Taxation stands out as one of the most effective and sustainable approaches for reducing property tax burdens. Pioneered in Utah over four decades ago, this property tax system has kept Utah’s property taxes consistently lower and more predictable than in most other states.
And it’s not just Utah. In 2023, Kansas passed a similar disclosure policy for property tax rates exceeding the rollback rate. In 2025, 73% of local governments implemented property tax increases of 3% or less, or kept rates flat, demonstrating how transparency can restrain growth without heavy-handed mandates.
Applying a limit to revenue increases is a measured and effective reform with a strong track record in other states. Revenue caps, as opposed to rate caps and assessment caps, limit out-of-control growth at the local level without completely hamstringing municipalities or distorting the housing market in ways that price out new buyers and threaten existing residents with massive tax increases if they move.
One possible area of improvement would be to eliminate the 3% growth “ceiling.” In practice, similar provisions in other states have typically taken advantage of growth allowances to their full extent, making 3% the floor rather than the ceiling. To fully relieve pressure on taxpayers, revenue growth should remain flat unless local officials make a transparent decision to increase the rollback rate.
As many other states continue to struggle with ways to rein in property taxes, HB 1116 provides an avenue for restraint, affordability, accountability, and taxpayer protection. Strengthening transparency gives taxpayers a voice, relieves them of the burden of steady, constant increases in tax rates, and reinforces trust in local government while still allowing for responsible fiscal decision-making.
Leah Vukmir
Senior Vice President of State Affairs
National Taxpayers Union
lvukmir@ntu.org
Jessica Ward
Senior Director of State Affairs
National Taxpayers Union
jward@ntu.org