Appeals court rules Atlanta airport restaurant taxes must be repaid
The main air traffic control tower at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, GA, on Wednesday, September 15, 2010. (Photo by Ramin Talaie/Corbis via Getty Images)
ATLANTA - A recent decision from the Georgia Court of Appeals marks a significant legal victory for a group of restaurant operators at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, according to Atlanta Business Chronicle.
The backstory:
The case stems from a 2019 lawsuit filed by Atlanta Restaurant Partners, who sought to recover approximately $350,000 in property taxes collected by the city of College Park and Clayton County. The group argued that the taxes were improperly assessed and collected on their airport-based businesses.
Clayton County officials contended the disputed tax revenue was allocated to support the local school district. However, after years of litigation and partial repayments, the Court of Appeals issued a final ruling ordering that all of the collected taxes — including those distributed to the school district — be returned to the restaurant group.
What's next:
The decision closes a protracted legal chapter and could have broader implications for how taxes are assessed on commercial tenants at the world’s busiest airport.