East Cobb property owners without the floating homestead exemption will see higher tax bills this fall even though Cobb County commissioners are not raising the millage rate. At the second of three required public hearings on Tuesday, July 21, residents again urged the board to roll back the rate instead of holding it flat.

The county proposes keeping its general fund rate at 8.46 mills, where it has sat since 2018. But rising property values will push general fund collections from $401.2 million to $421.5 million, a $20.3 million increase, Chief Financial Officer Buddy Tesar told commissioners at the special-called meeting.

Under Georgia law, that triggers a mandatory "tax increase" advertisement because the county is collecting more than it would at the rollback rate of 8.129 mills. The difference works out to 4.07 percent above rollback in the general fund.

Who's protected, who's not

Homeowners who have claimed the floating homestead exemption for the 2026 tax year should see no change in the county general fund portion of their bill, provided they haven't altered their property's taxable value, according to county budget documents. Tesar illustrated the gap with an example: a home purchased in 2018 for about $250,000 that is now valued near $450,000 would owe roughly $609 in general fund taxes with the exemption locked in, versus about $1,447 without it.

The exemption does not cover the fire fund. Because the fire millage (2.97 mills, also held flat) carries no floating homestead protection, that portion of the bill still rises with assessed value.

Tesar also noted that 2026 tax bills will include a one-time state homeowner relief credit authorized under Georgia's amended fiscal year 2026 budget, offsetting some of the increase for eligible homeowners.

Residents speak up

East Cobb resident Christina White told commissioners the math doesn't work for people on fixed incomes.

"You would actually have to sell the house to realize the value. In the meantime, we have to pay the taxes," White said at the July 21 hearing.

Myrna Caban, who said she bought her home in 2009 for about $108,000 after the housing crash, told the board the county has dramatically overvalued her property. She said investor offers have come in near $266,000 based on the exterior alone, while the county's fair market value has climbed to $350,000.

Budget bottom line

The proposed fiscal year 2027 operating budget totals $1.41 billion, including a $672.1 million general fund, up about $29 million from the current year, according to county budget documents. The spending plan adds 29 new full-time positions, funds a 2 percent cost-of-living adjustment for employees, and formally adopts a $17 million Stormwater Utility Fund.

What's next

The third and final public hearing and anticipated adoption of both the FY2027 budget and 2026 millage rates is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 28, in the Board of Commissioners meeting room on the second floor of the David Hankerson Building, 100 Cherokee St., Marietta.