After much deliberation between members of the Baldwin City Council, the council unanimously voted to roll back the millage rate to 6.793 mils in Habersham County and are now working to find new revenue streams to support the city’s growing needs.
Councilmembers have discussed the millage rate at length in previous meetings, with Councilwoman Stephanie Almagno being the only councilmember to oppose a rollback during all millage rate discussions— until Monday night’s vote.
The city began their discussions surrounding the millage rate reluctantly agreeing that the city needed the tax revenue the current millage rate of 7.504 provided. Things changed at the next meeting though, when the council voted 4-1 to roll back the millage rate with Almagno opposing and Councilwoman Alice Venter seemingly on the fence.
Between the city’s last work session and the final millage rate vote, Councilwomen Venter and Almagno decided hitting the rollback millage rate was important to find new ways to generate revenue rather than keeping taxes the same as they are now.
“I decided that this year, it’s incumbent upon me and the rest of the council to find alternative ways of completing projects and hitting goals we have set for the city,” Councilwoman Venter tells Now Habersham. “The easiest and least time-consuming method is to collect revenue from taxpayers. I think, for now, it’s best to roll up our sleeves and try to find those alternatives.”
She says she, and the rest of the council, are prepared for the challenge. But they are also aware of the city’s needs for quality services, such as police and fire, and the prices that come along with them.
“Quality people cost money and want a good work environment, now more than ever,” Venter said. “We [the council] have a few [revenue] ideas and are researching them. We will see what happens over the next year. Hopefully, some of those ideas will pan out to the city’s benefit.”
Almagno echoed the same thoughts, saying that “every dollar matters for the city,” and shared that the funds Baldwin received from the American Rescue Plan Act have helped them significantly.
“While the rollback helps Baldwin citizens to keep a little more of their money, the federal government has helped the state and local municipalities in the form of ARPA, the American Rescue Plan Act funding,” she says. “With this one-time funding for special projects, I felt supporting the rollback was the correct vote; ARPA funding was a much-needed revenue boost for the city.”
The city has worked throughout the year to provide better equipment, pay and resources to the city’s employees and departments. Councilwoman Venter tells Now Habersham that the city is expecting to see “a lot of growth” in the coming year, and that the city is preparing for those changes.
“Infrastructure and services have to be ahead of the game if we are to grow properly instead of haphazardly,” Councilwoman Venter said. “You can’t get egg-producing chickens without having a nesting box and feeders already in place. “
