EDITOR'S NOTE: Below is a selection of responses shared by readers of MDJOnline.com in reaction to recent MDJ stories ...

Should Cobb residents over age 62 be exempt from the school tax?


Misterbill wrote - I have no kids in school, but I would not mind a temporary sales tax to help out and over time, possibly, a graduated by income scale, of school tax for seniors.

Senior Discount? wrote - How about a senior citizen's discount tax? Where they would pay just 10 to 30 percent of what their tax rate would be? We're in a crisis that our county, state and country haven't seen in a while. If our schools fail, no one is going to want to move to Cobb County.

Enough already wrote - The seniors are on a limited income. With the passing of health care by the Obama administration, they will already have to pay more for health care. They don't need additional property tax on top of that.

JAWS1998 wrote - Yes they should. If a school spent $5K per year on a child, then a K-12 education would cost $60K per child. A family with two children would have $120K from two K-12 educations. The average home would not cost anywhere near $120K in taxes for that timespan. When your kids are in school, you are getting a benefit paid for by all (including you). After your kids have graduated you still have an obligation. Education is a collaborative effort, including the community.

Ann B. wrote - No. Apartment dwellers should have to pay their share. Supposedly the apartment owners pay for the dwellers but they should be the ones to pay more. And how about all the illegal immigrants that are in Cobb County?

Mike Jones wrote - Taxation should be equal. Why should one group be given favoritism over another? Where does it stop?

J Balfour wrote - We should be exempt. We have paid school taxes for 42 years, had one child in the system and then only part of the time because she attended private school for several years. After you pay in for 42 years, we'll repeal your exemption and see how you like it.

Ralph You're Dumb wrote - On another note, seniors in Cobb shouldn't be allowed to vote in school board elections unless they pay school property taxes. Seniors in most counties pay property taxes and if seniors had to pay school property taxes in Cobb the overall millage rate could probably be lowered. The argument that "I shouldn't have to pay for other peoples kids" is intellectually bankrupt because single people and childless households under 62 have to pay. The senior exemption is outdated and completely unfair to residents in Cobb under the age of 62.

Torn wrote - I'm torn on this issue. This is the first state and county that we've lived in (out of six) that exempts it's seniors from school taxes. While I think it's a great perk and an awesome thing to do for our seniors, I'm sure that was voted on when our schools, state and country were in a sound financial situation. I would like to see our families paying a "supply fee" or something first before we resort to adding taxes.

Common Sense wrote - Seniors will only see their property values decline if the schools get worse, which they will. The exemption should at a minimum be tied to income, so those making less than say, $50,000 don't have to pay. The reality is though that seniors have just as much an investment in the community as everyone else, and if they don't want to invest in the community, then they don't have to live in the community.

Chuxter wrote - I've never been a fan of the exemption for seniors for school tax. It unfairly skews tax tables downward. The fair thing to do is to keep everyone in the same pool and adjust taxes on a broad base scale. I am, however, a proponent for exemptions for military service men, survivors of police and fire, and of the like.

Cobb Taxpayer wrote - I am 66 and do not pay school taxes because the law allows me to file for an exemption. Yes, that school tax exemption is one of the reasons we stayed in Cobb vs. moving to the mountains and we all know or should understand that the "worst ever" school board has zero authority to act on the senior school tax exemption and I have yet to hear any Cobb legislator even bring up the idea of changing the law. The school board and their powers or influence is really a moot point.

Oldster wrote - You've got to be kidding. This is a Republican dominated county with Republican school board members. Are they seriously going to pitch a tax-and-spend proposal for residents 62 and older? If they do and succeed, many will no longer find Cobb County nearly as appealing as a place to buy a house. Say goodbye to our sales tax, car tax, and stability.