East Cobb homeowners who filed for the county's floating homestead exemption won't see their general fund tax bill go up this year, even as Cobb County expects to collect an additional $20.3 million in property tax revenue from rising home values.

But residents who showed up at the Board of Commissioners' first public hearing on Tuesday, July 14, weren't reassured. Several demanded commissioners roll back the millage rate rather than keep the additional revenue generated by higher assessments.

"You would actually have to sell the house to realize the value," East Cobb resident Christina White told commissioners. "In the meantime, we have to pay the taxes."

White said rising property taxes hit hardest for residents on fixed incomes whose earnings aren't keeping pace with inflation.

What the county is proposing

Cobb County wants to hold all three of its millage rates steady from last year: 8.46 mills for the general fund, 2.97 mills for the fire fund, and 2.45 mills for the Cumberland Special Services District II, according to the county's official tax-increase notice.

The millage rate itself isn't going up. But because property values climbed, the county will collect $421.5 million in general fund property tax revenue, up from $401.2 million last year. Under Georgia law, that triggers a required "tax increase" advertisement, even though the rate is unchanged. To collect the same dollar amount as last year, the county would have to cut the general fund rate to 8.129 mills.

Chief Financial Officer Buddy Tesar told commissioners at the July 14 hearing that digest growth has moderated. Commercial property revaluations drove much of this year's increase, with the commercial real property digest jumping from $13.65 billion in 2025 to $14.69 billion in 2026.

How the floating homestead exemption works

Tesar walked through a specific example: a home purchased in 2018 for about $250,000 could now be assessed at roughly $450,000. Without the floating homestead exemption, that owner's general fund tax bill would have climbed from about $609 to roughly $1,447. With the exemption, the general fund portion stays locked at the value established when the homeowner first filed.

The catch: the exemption covers only the county's general fund. It does not apply to the fire fund, where taxes continue to rise with property values. The Cobb County School District, which sets its own rate and is considering keeping millage flat at 18.7 mills, is also not covered.

Tesar said 2026 tax bills are expected to include a one-time state homeowner relief credit under Georgia's Homeowner Tax Relief Grant, which would lower some bills even without a rate change.

Residents challenge valuations

Myrna Caban told commissioners she bought her home in 2009 for about $108,000 after the housing crash. The county now values it at $350,000, she said, despite investor offers closer to $266,000 based on the exterior alone.

"In order to sell my house for that kind of money, I would have to make an investment in repairs and upgrades for $100,000," Caban said. "And I think it's unfair."

What's next

Two public hearings remain before commissioners adopt final rates. The second hearing is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 21, during a special-called meeting. The third hearing and anticipated adoption vote is set for 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 28. Both will be held in the Board of Commissioners meeting room, second floor of the David Hankerson Building, 100 Cherokee St., Marietta.

Property owners can check their estimated value and tax bill on the Cobb County Tax Commissioner's website.