COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Many Georgia homeowners are hoping for property tax relief, and a Marietta small business owner says rising costs have made it increasingly difficult to keep up with his bills.
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Tony Hoops, who owns Satoria on the Square in Marietta, says he’s seen expenses increase across the board over the past few years, both as a homeowner and a small business owner.
“It’s so important that you support your small businesses because we are struggling badly and we need support,” Hoops said.
Hoops says the cost of living and keeping his business afloat has continued to climb over the past two years. He says his property taxes and homeowners insurance have also increased.
“The property taxes went up. It’s just been a perfect storm with everything going up except income. They raised it all the way up to $5,400 a year,” Hoops said.
Hoops is hopeful that Governor-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms’ proposed property tax and homeowners insurance relief plan will bring some changes.
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“Her property tax relief is a step in the right direction. Obviously, what we were doing before was not working. It’s creating homelessness. It’s creating 30-year-olds to move back in with their parents because they can’t even afford to buy their own home,” he said.
Bottoms has proposed lowering property taxes, expanding access to relief for seniors and reducing homeowners insurance costs.
She also wants to fully fund the Homeowner Tax Relief Grant every year. Republicans chose to fund the program only twice, according to Bottoms.
She plans to increase the grant from $18,000 to $25,000 after submitting her first budget.
Meanwhile, Gov. Brian Kemp announced tax relief distributions earlier this week that will lower property tax bills for qualifying homeowners.
The program will provide $950 million in refunds to local governments. The credit has already been applied to eligible property tax bills in Cobb County.
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