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DECEMBER 25, 2024
Merged with The Comer News and The Daniclsvillc Monitor, 2006
MadisonJoumalTODAY.com
Vol. 41 No. 47* Publication No. 1074-987* Danielsville, Madison County, Georgia 30633 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers Inc. *16 Pages, 2 Section Plus Supplements
$1.00
Local governments faced with decision over new homestead exemption law
By Caleb Rollins
House Bill 581 has
been making waves
throughout local govern
ments across the state in
recent weeks.
The bill was approved
with 68% of the state
wide vote in November,
receiving 66.7% of the
vote in Madison County.
The new amendment
establishes a statewide
“floating homestead” ex
emption based on the rate
of inflation. This allows
for assessment on home
steaded properties to only
rise annually at the rate of
inflation.
Perhaps the most sig
nificant addition to the
bill, however, is its “opt-
out” option.
Local governments,
which includes the coun
ty, cities and school
board, have the option
to opt-out of the law be
tween Jan. 1 and March
1,2025.
To opt-out, local gov
ernments must pass a
resolution after holding
three public hearings
and running required ad
vertisements at least one
week prior to each meet
ing.
Local governments
across the state have be
gun scheduling these
hearings, signaling their
widespread intent to opt-
out of the assessment cap.
While homeowners
across Georgia could
benefit from a reduction
in their tax burden by
slowing the rise in prop
erty value, local govern
ments fear tying their
hands if they do not opt-
out, as the bill takes away
their control over proper
ty tax values.
School boards, which
collect a large portion of
their revenue from local
property taxes, would be
particularly impacted by
the implementation of the
new law.
While city and county
governments that opted
in to the law could po
tentially supplement rev
enue through a new sales
tax, school systems have
a narrower stream of rev
enue.
The law does not low
er overall revenue school
systems need to operate,
as it shifts the property
tax burden for school rev
enue to different classes
See Exemption, page 3A
A ‘Magical Christmas 9
Santa Claus rides through Comer
Photos by Caleb Rollins
Santa (above) waves to on
lookers as he rides in the
Comer Christmas Parade
on Dec. 7. Santa stopped in
Yarbrough Park following
the parade to take photos
with kids.
Parade participants (right)
wave to a crowd of hun
dreds gathered in down
town Comer for Comer’s
Magical Christmas event
on Dec. 7. The parade was
followed by a vendor market
with over 50 vendors in Com
er’s Yarbrough Park.
Index
News — 1 A, 3A, 5A
Opinions — 4A
Socials — 2A
Schools — 2A, 7A-8A
Churches — 7A
Obituaries — 4B-5B
Sports — 1B-3B
Classifieds — 6B
Legals — 7B
MAILING LABEL
Local children throw candy to parade onlookers as they wind through Comer on Dec. 7.
Madison County Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Anna Strickland and her
family pose for a photo with Santa during Coiner’s Magical Christmas.
Inflation still on the
rise, driven by food
and housing costs
U.S. consumer prices
increased 0.3% in No
vember, marking the
fifth consecutive month
of rising costs, according
to the Consumer Price
Index released by the La
bor Department on Dec.
11. The increase follows
a 0.2% rise in each of the
previous four months.
In the past year, the
Consumer Price Index
for All Urban Consum
ers has risen 2.7%, up
from 2.6% in October.
The November uptick
was largely driven by a
0.3% rise in shelter costs,
which accounted for
nearly 40% of the overall
increase. Prices for food
also climbed, with the
food index rising 0.4%.
Grocery prices, or the
“food at home” index,
jumped 0.5%, while din
ing out, reflected in the
“food away from home”
index, rose 0.3%.
Energy costs saw a
more modest increase of
0.2%, following an un
changed reading in Oc
tober.
Excluding the volatile
food and energy sectors,
core prices also rose
0.3% in November, con
sistent with the previous
three months. Categories
contributing to the core
increase included used
cars and trucks, medi
cal care, new vehicles,
household furnishings
and recreation.
However, the commu
nication index was one
See Inflation, page 3A
MCHSJROTC
marches to
win at parade
The Madison County
High School Junior Re
serve Officers’ Training
Corps Battalion led by
Cadet Lieutenant Col
onel Jaramillo, under
the guidance of Colonel
Stuart and First Sergeant
Ramey continues to win
awards.
It not only provided
the honor guard leading
the 2024 Comer Christ
mas Parade; it also won
the “best marching unit”
award from the City of
Comer by demonstrating
a unified team effort.
Accepting the award
for the JROTC unit was
Cadet First Sergeant
White.
Colonel Bruce Gan
dy, United States Ma
rine Corps (Retired),
delivered it on behalf
of the Christmas Parade
Committee and the City
of Comer to MCHS on
Thursday, Dec. 12.
Submitted photo
Pictured from left to right: Colonel Stuart, Cadet First
Sergeant White, Colonel Bruce Gandy and First Ser
geant Ramey. White accepted the “best marching unit”
award for the MCHS JROTC unit for their participation
in the Comer Christmas Parade.
