TUCKER, Ga. — Whether you vote early or on Election Day, you need to know what's on your ballot.
However, the presidential race isn't the only bubble you need to fill.
We've been hearing from Georgia voters that some of the wording on the ballot is a bit confusing.
Financial expert Andrew Poulos with Poulos Accounting and Consulting is helping to put those words into Layman's terms.
Poulos said there are resolutions on the ballet that can affect your wallet.
"Obviously, a lot of people vote with their pocketbook. And these are all pertaining, more so, to financial tax matters," he said.
One example should look something like this:
Local option homestead property tax exemption
Provides for a general law state-wide homestead exemption that may differentiate among political subdivisions.
House Resolution No. 1022
Ga. L. 2024, p. 1191
"Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to authorize the General Assembly to provide by general law for a state-wide homestead exemption that serves to limit increases in the assessed value of homesteads, but which any county, consolidated government, municipality, or local school system may opt out of upon the completion of certain procedures?"
"So, effectively, what the state's trying to do is limit the amount of property tax increases from homeowners," Poulos said.
Poulos explained as home values increase, so does your property tax bill. So, a "yes" vote will allow the state to control how it increases.
Here's another example from the sample ballot:
Georgia tax court
Provides for a state-wide Georgia Tax Court.
House Resolution No. 598
Ga. L. 2024, p. 1189
"Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to provide for the Georgia Tax Court to be vested with the judicial power of the state and to have venue, judges, and jurisdiction concurrent with superior courts?"
Poulos said, right now, if you have tax problems and want to file a lawsuit, you'd file a tax court petition with the Georgia tax tribunal.
"What the state is looking at here is effectively eliminating the tax tribunal, setting up a new tax court system," Poulos said.
And it would free up the superior court to handle other important cases.
"It would give the tax court--the new tax court system more powers," Poulos said.
Here's one more resolution you need to know:
Personal property tax exemption increase
Raises amount of tangible personal property tax exemption from $7,500.00 to $20,000.00.
House Bill No. 808
Act No. 581, Ga. L. 2024, p. 696
“Do you approve the Act that increases an exemption from property tax for all tangible personal property from $7,500.00 to $20,000.00?”
This one is a bit complicated. Poulos said this vote basically affects how business owners' office furniture, computers, equipment, etc., for example, are taxed.
"If your property business equipment is worth more than $7,500, you're taxed on the value above $7500. This would take it from $7,500 to $20,000, which would save on business personal property taxes," Poulos said.
Poulos added even if you're not a home or small business owner at the moment, you may want to be in the future. So, your vote matters.
Visit here to see a sample ballot in your area.
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