Judge sides with Fulton in initial property tax ruling | www.myajc.com

A judge Thursday gave Fulton County a preliminary victory as it defends a 17 percent property tax increase from critics who say the county spends too much.

Senior Cobb County Superior Court Judge G. Grant Brantley did not rule the tax hike is legal. But he denied a request to stop Fulton from collecting about $1,300 in additional taxes that six current and former state lawmakers owe because of the tax increase commissioners adopted last month.

The judge did not explain his ruling. But the decision could indicate Brantley thinks the county is more likely to prevail in the court battle over a state law that singles out Fulton County and caps its tax rate this year.

That’s a setback for the lawmakers, who asked the judge to prohibit the county from collecting the new taxes and to declare the tax hike illegal based on the law aimed at Fulton. And it means other Fulton taxpayers must pay higher taxes, at least for now.

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