Sen. Freddie Powell Sims Releases Statement Against Local Legislation

ATLANTA (June 24, 2026) - Today, Sen. Freddie Powell Sims (D-Albany) released the following statement regarding recent local legislation brought forth for the 12^th Senate District:

"Property taxes, the major source of public revenue, support public safety through our fire and police departments, emergency medical services and 9-1-1 operations. These taxes also support the maintenance of roads, bridges, sidewalks, streetlights, drainage operations, improvement of wastewater systems and water treatment networks. Property taxes continually support public health services (biological and medical), especially when related to viral infections, such as influenza and COVID-19, just to name a few.

Government operations such as bookkeeping, administrative services, court records, elections and tax offices depend heavily upon property taxes. Parks and recreation, along with access to the latest media devices, use this same source of public funding. Public libraries connect seniors, children and others to a limitless digital world of knowledge far beyond their boundaries.

Undeniably, the loss of property tax revenue for education will be the greatest educational injustice for Georgia's children and communities. Without a well-educated workforce community, supported by property taxation, communities collapse, cease to exist and lose their identities, as well as their wealth.

Every day, local governments are charged with providing public safety services and a quality education for their citizens. As a State Legislator, one of my most focused responsibilities is to ensure that the 13 counties in District 12 are equipped to do both. This bill goes against the legislator's most basic principle of caring for all constituents, instead of a select few.

The Local Homestead Option Sales Tax (LHOST) raises prices for every Georgian at the cash register and beyond. To be perfectly clear, revenue collections through LHOST will vary from the tiniest municipalities to the largest ones. Municipalities with less retail traffic may not generate enough sales tax revenue to provide substantial property tax relief. The primary disadvantages of LHOST are higher sales taxes. Homeowners may save on property taxes only to spend more on sales taxes.

In the name of affordability, we cannot pass legislation that kills jobs, raises grocery prices and wreaks havoc on Georgia families' budgets in all tax brackets. Instead, Georgia must find a more equitable, less intrusive way to manage runaway property taxes while continuing to provide the services needed for the public good.

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Sen. Freddie Powell Sims represents the 12^th Senate District, which includes Baker, Calhoun, Clay, Dougherty, Early, Miller, Mitchell, Quitman, Randolph, Stewart, Sumter, Terrell and Webster counties. She may be reached by phone at (404) 463-5259 or by email at [email protected].

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