Over the course of the last week, the Habersham Commission got an earful from residents upset by this year’s tax increase.
Reassessment raised the tax digest for existing homes by 8.7%. Property owners footing that bill spoke out against the increase during a series of public hearings the commission held ahead of their vote Wednesday night, July 26, on the millage rate.
Commissioners adopted a slight millage increase, raising the Emergency Services Fund by .229 mills. The overall county millage rate is slightly lower than last year’s because of a rollback by the county school board. This year’s millage rate is 25.002– a decrease of 1.073 mills.
Commissioners Ty Akins, Bruce Palmer, and Dustin Mealor voted in favor of the tax increase. Commissioners Bruce Harkness and Jimmy Tench voted against it.
MORE Commission votes 3-2 to adopt annual millage rates
Commissioners chided for overspending, overtaxing
Several dozen residents turned out at three public hearings ahead of the millage rate vote. A number of them voiced their concerns to commissioners.
Paula Hanington was among the nearly two dozen residents who turned out for the public hearing held Wednesday morning, July 26, at the county administration building.
“I am here to talk against this proposal,” she said, setting the tone for much of the hearing.
Hanington explained to the commission that, in her view, the first role of government “is not to be everything to everybody.” She said the government should not compete with private enterprise and referenced two line items in the budget that she felt should have been cut because they are in competition with business.
“I was astounded to see there was a line item of $435,000 for gymnastics. If there is that need for gymnastics in this community, then there is a gymnastics teacher, coach, somebody out there ready and willing to open a business to do that,” she said. Hanington added, “I ask you to look at eliminating the $68,000 for Total Fitness. If a non-profit public hospital could not keep that afloat, it is something that is sunk from the get-go, and the taxpayers should not be required to pick up the tab.”
Hanington reminded the commissioners, “This board writes the checks that these people (pointing to the audience) have to cover.” She reiterated during her comments, “The role of government is not to be everything to everybody.”
Hannington’s comments drew applause from the audience.
Paul Black expressed his concern that his tax bill had gone from nearly $1,400 last year to over $2,000 this year.
“I don’t know how that is sustainable for the rest of the taxpayers in the county here. I can’t afford that sort of increase every year,” he told the commissioners.
Black asked the commission to do what he and his family do, “we do without a lot of things.”
He told the commission that he and his wife drive 20-year-old vehicles, haven’t been on a vacation in over five years, and he and his wife raise a small garden and can those vegetables to supplement their groceries.
“I am asking you guys to consider folks like me whose household income is less than $70,000. We’re just trying to make it. If these taxes keep going up at this geometric rate, I don’t know what’s going to happen to my family. I would ask you to consider someone like us,” he pleaded.
Never seen ‘such a waste of money’
Barry Church also addressed his concerns with the commission, telling them that he was afraid to open his assessment due to the increases in property taxes he has seen over the years.
“We need more industry here so we can get industrial taxes at about 70% and maybe even 80%,” Church said. He asked the commission, “What have you all, as a board done to go out and encourage industry? Don’t tell me we’ve got the Chamber [of Commerce], we’ve got other things. You all ain’t done nothing because all you all look at is the money.”
Church assured everyone that he was not “anti-public safety.” He was the EMA Director and Public Safety Director for Habersham County for 34 years. He stated, “I have never seen such a waste of money that you guys are proposing.”
Church made some suggestions about proposed public safety expenditures. He said the county doesn’t need a new jail, which is not in the budget but has been talked about for years. He suggested getting state inmates into correctional facilities faster to help reduce the county jail inmate population.
The former EMA director also said the county doesn’t need a new fire station but needs to man the stations they currently have. He said that would ensure that residents in the Batesville, New Liberty, and Fairview areas get the same quality of service as those in other parts of the county.
Church reiterated that he was not anti-public safety but wanted to have the best-trained people and equipment for staff to do the job they need to do, but said he did not see the need in spending for new “toys” and facilities that the county won’t be able to man.
‘You’re killing us’
And the opposition continued as Keith Canup took to the podium. Canup was an outspoken critic of the county’s decision to take over Total Fitness when the hospital discontinued it earlier this year.
“I know you all have a tough job. I understand that. But you all campaigned like Ronald Reagan, and you’re governing like Bernie Sanders,” he said, eliciting laughter from the audience.
Canup said that the government “spends, spends, and spends,” and it all comes down to a payment day. “Here we are,” he said.
Referencing Habersham County Finance Director Tim Sims’ budget presentation that demonstrated the cost increases the county has experienced over the last year, Canup turned to a family sitting behind him.
“Look at this family back here. What do you think it takes to go through Chick-Fil-A for them? You (Sims) was [sic] putting all that on the screen about tractor fluid and all that. Boy, I feel your pain; so does everybody in here. Shoes, children’s clothes, school supplies, just on and on, and now we’re going to get a tax increase as I predicted we would.”
Canup asked the commission to “reign in discretionary spending.” He explained to the commission that the audience and he and his family had to live by a budget.
“It’s fun to spend everybody else’s money, I guess. It’s not fun when it’s your money that you’re blowing through.”
“You pass a tax increase like its laissez-faire and no big deal, but it’s crushing your constituents. You’re killing us,” he said.
Final say
The third and final millage rate public hearing was held Wednesday evening, July 26 at the county courthouse in Clarkesville. For commissioners, it was more of the same, as some two dozen more residents turned out to voice their strong opposition to the tax increase.
Justin Freeman encouraged the commission to have “a sound governing philosophy.” He said government oftentimes looks at how can we get as much money as possible to do as many things as possible.
“What I think government should be doing is remembering that the money they are taking in taxes is money they are taking inherently, forcefully, from people that really don’t want to give it and then using it for things that may or may not be things that everyone wants done or done in the best interest for everybody.”
Freeman continued, “The governing philosophy should be to try and take as little as you can possibly take to do those things you absolutely must do.”
He joined those in hearings before him who called on the commission to “look at the budget and see if there is anything that can possibly be cut, and then if there is anything that can be cut, let’s cut this millage rate so that property taxes aren’t increased on the working people of Habersham County.”
Like Canup, he said, everyone is affected by inflation.
“We are all in this inflation together. Everyone else in the county, it seems to be, is tightening their belts while the county government is really not tightening belts and is raising salaries, hiring more people, and that is something we would prefer not be doing if it is at all avoidable.”
Within the past year, Habersham has instituted a series of pay raises that added more than $1.2 million to the county’s budget.
Dominic Ustica spoke at the first public hearing and returned Wednesday night to again address the commissioners. He encouraged the commission to cut the 8.76% increase to 4.75% to help those on fixed incomes.
“I am still opposed to this increase,” he told the commission.
Ustica stated that he made that request a week ago at the first meeting and, “I have no reply from anyone about it.” He added, “I don’t know why we can’t cut that somewhat,” stressing that cutting back on the millage rate would put less of a burden on families.
Plea to ‘pump the brakes’
Teri Dobbs, the former mayor of Tallulah Falls and a real estate agent, addressed the commission about commercial property assessments.
“I’m the first house in Habersham County. I was told I was Rabun and now Habersham, and because of taxes, I don’t like being Habersham,” said Dobbs.
She asked the commission if the commercial property was assessed equally from landowner to landowner.
“I am asking you [to] pump the brakes. Let’s look at commercial assessments. Let’s get a true tax digest in place. Let everybody carry their own bucket,” she said.
Commission Chair Ty Akins explained to Dobbs that the county had budgeted for a private service to come in and assist with property appraisals with the tax assessor’s office. He explained that they were short two positions in that office and this company would help with doing all appraisals, including commercial properties, throughout the county.
“We agree with you. We think it could make a big difference in the county,” he told Dobbs.
Commercial assessment disparities
Commercial real estate agent Wade Rhodes who handles property sales for the county development authority attended the meeting. He brought with him a large map and folder. He reiterated what Dobbs had to say about the commercial property assessments.
Rhodes passed out several documents to the commission showing five properties in the industrial park within close proximity of each other and their appraisals based on acreage and square footage. Those properties are commercial properties and are within 1000 feet of each other, but the values are vastly different.
Rhodes stated that one of the five buildings is appraised at $8.70 per square foot, and the land is valued at $8,700 per acre. Three of the other buildings have minimal increases in value, but the lots the buildings sit on are appraised the same at $8,700 per acre.
However, the fifth building in the group sold for over $1 million in 2022. It was appraised at $38 per square foot, and the land appraised at $39,735 per acre. A vast difference in comparison to properties in the same area of similar construction.
Rhodes said he owns a building just over a block away that is appraised at $45 per square foot, and the land around his building is selling for $45,000 per acre.
He used those figures to demonstrate his point that commercial property is not being assessed “equitably and fairly.”
“In the paper on June 2, I don’t know Mrs. Holbrook. I’m sure she is a fine lady, but she said, “The assessed values of commercial property in Habersham are exactly where they’re supposed to be.”
“Hogwash,” Rhodes said in response to that reported quote.
“If the commercial properties are valued where they should be, these people and their residences should be down.”
Rhodes added, “To Teri’s (Dobbs’) point, not everybody is carrying their own bucket.”
The audience applauded.
When the public comments concluded, commissioners voted to adopt the millage rates as they had publicized them – ignoring requests for a rollback and budget cuts.
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This article has been edited for clarity
