Bloated Bartow School System Betrays Taxpayers & Voters; HELP IS ON THE WAY THIS November - ACTION NEEDED NOW!

Senate and House set to approve a Bartow county Vote on limiting tax hikes in November with NO OPT OUT for schools. Call Legislators now!

By David McKalip, M.D.

Today the Bartow County School Board voted to “opt out” of the tax hike limit (HB581) approved by 69% of Bartow County voters on 11/5/2024. After years of double digit property tax hikes (WELL Beyond the rate of inflation), the school Board voted 4-1 to ensure they will have no meaningful limit on their ability to hike taxes further. Steadfast in her support of both the schools and the taxpayers, Darla Williams voted “No” to this betrayal by the School Board and superintendent.

Help is on the way. State legislation is on fast track to pass soon that will ensure the school board can NOT opt out - this November. Your help needed to guarantee passage now.

SEE BELOW - Calls needed to Bartow County Legislators.

The motion to opt out came from Board Member Matt Shultz, with new Board member Sharon Viktora seconding the motion. Butch Emerson and Tony Ross both voted yes, to Opt-out of HB581 and thus deny tax relief to the voters. The typical arguments were offered to justify the unjustifiable. They, of course resorted to claiming that without the massive, regular tax hikes, the children would be “hurt”. They stated they had supported the senior homestead exemption and a $15,000 homestead exemption - without acknowledging that these are small compared to the tax hikes each of these taxpayers have face for years. They claimed they would “lose” $24 million from this inflation-based limit on tax hikes, when in fact they know full well they would ONLY lose the massive extra funds they do not need. They arrogantly claimed people just “didn’t know” what they voted for.

So, for this year, the inflation-based tax hike limit will not be in place to protect taxpayers. You can thus be certain that the Board will AGAIN pass another massive tax hike this summer.

HELP IS ON THE WAY! SB 83 and SB 77. Your help needed.

Thanks to the leadership of Senator Chuck Hufstetler, Senator Ed Setzler, Representative Gambill and Representative Scoggins, tax relief can be certain with another vote in November.

SB 83 and SB 77 would allows the citizens of Bartow and Cartersville to vote THIS November to enact the Tax hike Limit. With early voting that is only about 8-9 months away.

Call your legislators and ask each to pass SB 83 and SB 77.

Thank them for supporting SB 83 and SB 77 to limit property tax hikes in Bartow county and Cartersville.

1. Ask them to work to get quick passage of both.

2. You can leave a message

Representative Gambill: (404) 651-7737; Representative Scoggins: (404) 656-0254

Senator Hufstetler: (404) 656-0034 ; Senator Ed Setzler: (404) 656-0256

Your action is needed now to get these bills through final passage. SB 83 would exempt from taxes the home’s value that grows beyond the rate of inflation for Bartow County Schools taxpayers. SB 77 would do the same from Cartersville school taxpayers. SB 83 has already passed the Senate and is now in play at the House, awaiting a vote there. SB 77 is still awaiting passage in the Senate.

Today, the School Board Chair, Butch Emerson, called for citizens to contact the local legislators and tell them to vote “no” on passage. So, those taxpayers who want relief, need to counter the local government working to lobby the state government to protect their continued massive tax hikes.

So, the time has come for you to make some phone calls. It is easy and will take just a few minutes. Leaving a message is fine; there is no need to speak to the legislators on the call. Their staff will record your call.

Let’s make it clear that we want tax relief now. On To NOVEMBER!

Then, in 2026, it is time to replace those Board members who voted for this and who are up for election (Tony Ross and Matt Shultz) and make sure that Darla Williams stays in office for doing the right thing!

Remember, with your help, a better future for you with the Tax hike limits is shown in the figure below - AND SCHOOLS WILL SEE ANNUAL GROWTH IN THEIR REVENUE!

IN FREEDOM!