Georgia CommonsHB 847: Cobb County; tax commissioner and certain employees; change compensation
Last action May 11, 2026 · Effective Date 2026-05-11
A Georgia House bill would raise the pay of Cobb County's tax commissioner and several top office staff, setting new salary caps written directly into the county's local law.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the bill and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Enrolled version, the latest LegiScan holds.
In plain language
Cobb County's tax commissioner's office operates under a 1949 local law that sets salaries for the tax commissioner and certain staff. This bill rewrites Section 3 of that law to update those pay figures. The tax commissioner would keep the state-set minimum salary under O.C.G.A. § 48-5-183 plus a county supplement capped at $47,443. The chief clerk's annual salary is set at $170,751. The bill also sets salary caps of $71,111 per year each for the executive secretary and administrative specialist positions in the tax commissioner's office, both appointed by and serving at the pleasure of the tax commissioner. All four positions would still qualify for any cost-of-living or merit raises Cobb County gives its other employees. The bill repeals conflicting laws and takes effect once signed.
What the bill does
- Sets the Cobb County tax commissioner's pay as the state minimum salary plus a county supplement capped at $47,443 per year.
- Fixes the chief clerk's annual salary at $170,751, paid monthly from county funds.
- Caps the executive secretary's salary at $71,111 per year, a position appointed by and serving at the tax commissioner's discretion.
- Caps the administrative specialist's salary at $71,111 per year, also appointed by and serving at the tax commissioner's discretion.
- Allows the tax commissioner, chief clerk, executive secretary, and administrative specialist to also receive any cost-of-living or merit raises Cobb County gives its other employees.
- Repeals any prior laws that conflict with these new pay terms.
Who it affects
The Cobb County tax commissioner and four specific staff positions in that office: the chief clerk, executive secretary, and administrative specialist. Cobb County taxpayers are also affected since these salaries are paid from county funds.
Why it matters
The bill changes how much Cobb County spends on its tax commissioner's office by locking in specific salary figures and caps in local law, meaning any future pay changes for these positions would likely require another act of the General Assembly rather than a simple county budget decision.
Key provisions
- Section 1 revises Section 3 of the 1949 Cobb County tax commissioner law, restating pay for the tax commissioner, chief clerk, executive secretary, and administrative specialist.
- The tax commissioner's salary equals the state minimum under O.C.G.A. § 48-5-183 plus a county supplement capped at $47,443.
- The chief clerk's salary is fixed at $170,751 per year, and candidates for tax commissioner must name their chief clerk pick when qualifying for election.
- The executive secretary and administrative specialist positions, both created by this bill's language, are capped at $71,111 per year each and serve at the tax commissioner's pleasure.
- Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.
From the bill
“The salary of the executive secretary shall not exceed $71,111.00 per annum, to be paid in equal monthly installments from the funds of Cobb County.”
“In the event of the death or removal from office of said chief clerk, the tax commissioner of Cobb County shall have 30 days from said date of death or removal from office of said chief clerk to certify to the judge of the Probate Court of Cobb County the name of the chief clerk to be appointed.”
Status timeline
- Effective Date 2026-05-11
- Act 521
- House Date Signed by Governor (House)
- House Sent to Governor (House)
- Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
- Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
- Senate Recommitted (Senate)
- Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
Show full history (15 actions)
- Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- House Passed/Adopted (House)
- House Third Readers (House)
- House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
- House Second Readers (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- House Hopper (House)
Sponsors
- Terry Cummings (D, HD-039)
- Lisa Campbell (D, HD-035)
- Devan Seabaugh (R, HD-034)
- Mekyah McQueen (D, HD-061)
- Jordan Ridley (R, HD-022)
- John Carson (R, HD-046)
Votes
- House voteMarch 31, 2025
165 yea, 0 nay (10 not voting, 5 absent)
- Senate voteMarch 20, 2026
44 yea, 0 nay (5 not voting, 5 absent)
Topics
- Cobb County government
- local government salaries
- tax commissioner
- county employee pay