We can protect Georgia’s older residents without gutting public services for our communities. Let’s choose a targeted policy.
Re: “Stop using Georgia seniors as a piggy bank. Give them property tax relief.,” by state Rep. David Clark, R-Buford.
Rep. Clark and I agree on a fundamental truth: No Georgian who has spent a lifetime building a community should be forced out of it by a tax bill.
The anxiety of rising property assessments is real, and for seniors on fixed incomes, it is an existential threat to their ability to age in place.
However, acknowledging a problem is easy; solving it responsibly is the hard work of governance.
As a DeKalb County commissioner who must balance a nearly $2 billion budget every year — prioritizing public health, safety and core services — I know that catchy slogans like “taxes are un-American” do not pave roads, put out fires or staff ambulances.
Clark’s proposed “Seniors Security Act,” while well-intentioned, is a blunt instrument that threatens the very services our seniors rely on. We need a surgical approach, not a sledgehammer.
Clark’s plan to waive taxes on the first $500,000 of home value for all seniors, regardless of income, is fiscally reckless. Under his “all-or-nothing” approach, a wealthy retiree in a luxury estate would receive the same tax break as a retired teacher struggling to pay for groceries. Why should working families subsidize tax cuts for millionaires who can easily afford their fair share?
How DeKalb County helps older residents today
In DeKalb County, we already have a framework for senior exemptions — with escalators based on age and income up to 70 years old, that provide additional tax breaks.
Currently, our county-level exemptions — which apply to the maintenance and operations taxes that fund services like police, parks and roads — are tied to income limits that haven’t always kept pace with inflation.
Instead of abolishing this portion of the tax base entirely, we should aggressively expand targeted exemptions.
I’d suggest Clark focus first on raising the base income threshold for senior tax exemptions to $75,000 with increased income limits as residents age (in DeKalb, that is $110,568 federal adjusted gross for seniors age 70-plus). This would provide substantial relief to the working- and middle-class seniors who truly need it, ensuring they are not priced out of their homes, while maintaining the revenue necessary to run the county.
Clark tries to offset the massive cost of his plan by pointing to “waste,” citing $1.7 million in arts funding within a $37 billion state budget. This is a distraction.
That sum is a rounding error that wouldn’t cover a fraction of the deficit his plan would create. If we want to talk about “piggy banks,” let’s discuss the massive tax breaks Georgia hands out to billionaire tech giants and data centers that strain our power grid, and increase power bills while creating few permanent jobs.
Furthermore, if we truly want to help seniors’ pocketbooks, we must look beyond just property taxes to utility bills — often a senior’s second-largest expense. Many seniors live in older, poorly insulated homes. Yet, the state Legislature has dragged its feet on “energy freedom” policies that would allow homeowners to easily generate their own power via solar and invest in efficiency. Enabling seniors to lower their energy costs could save them thousands annually — permanent, structural relief that doesn’t bankrupt the local fire department.
Tackle housing and utility costs as a solution
We also cannot ignore the housing crisis itself. True “family values” means creating a housing cycle that works for every generation. Currently, restrictive state building codes and local zoning laws largely prevent the construction of “missing middle” housing — smaller cottages, duplexes and accessory dwelling units.
Many seniors want to downsize to more manageable, cost-efficient homes in their own neighborhoods, but those options simply don’t exist. By encouraging this type of housing, we allow seniors to cash out their equity and reduce their expenses, while freeing up larger family homes for young families just starting out. This is a free-market solution that supports aging in place without a government handout.
Finally, we must reject the cynical notion that funding our community is “un-American.” Investing in the places we live is the most American thing we do. Property taxes fund the “Core Four”: health, public safety, infrastructure and education. When a senior calls 911, they expect professionals to respond to their emergency with speed and care. When they drive to the pharmacy, they expect a safe road. These are not “government waste.” They are the bedrock of the freedom we cherish.
We can protect our seniors without gutting our communities. Let’s choose a targeted policy that supports the vulnerable, demands fairness from the wealthy, and embraces energy and housing freedom. That is how we deliver real security — not with a slogan, but with a plan.
See Commissioner Terry’s Atlanta Journal Constitution here.
