Habersham County commissioners got an earful from upset taxpayers during their first public hearing on the county’s pending tax increase. Approximately two dozen people attended the hearing on Wednesday, July 19, with several openly voicing their views.
Commissioners say they do not intend to raise the millage rate, but higher property tax valuations will result in higher taxes.
Commissioners Jimmy Tench and Bruce Harkness both say they want to give taxpayers a break. They voted against last year’s millage rate increase and support rolling back this year’s rate. If commissioners did that, it would save county property owners $1,764,954 and force the county to trim its proposed budget by that same amount. However, commissioners Ty Akins, Bruce Palmer, and Dustin Mealor, who voted in favor of last year’s millage rate increase, have given no indication they would support a rollback.
That’s led taxpayers such as Dominic Ustica to conclude that even with two more public tax hearings left, the property tax increase is a done deal.
“I feel it’s (the increase) going to happen, irregardless. I think the meeting is to inform the residents here of what’s going to happen,” said Ustica as he spoke against the increase and questioned the reason for the hearings. Ustica asked, “Is that correct, basically?” To which Habersham County Commission Chair Ty Akins replied, “I think it’s to give an opportunity to voice any concerns they may have. Until we vote on it, nothing is a given.”
That didn’t convince Kevin Gaddis. He took Akins to task for recent comments he made to the media.
“You expressed your displeasure that the assessed values were not higher than what they were.” Akins corrected Gaddis, “They were lower.” Gaddis replied, “But you expressed your displeasure, and you also was [sic] concerned about why Habersham County was so anemic according to surrounding counties.”
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‘We’re talking about Habersham County’
Last year, commissioners questioned the county’s tax assessments saying they were too low, and called for a state audit. This year, tax assessments rose by 8.76%
Rick Wood spoke to the commission about the assessment increase over the last two years. Habersham County Manager Alicia Vaughn advised him to speak to the tax assessor’s office.
Vaughn says most tax bills will be lower this year than what’s on the assessment due to the county school millage rate rollback and a one-time Homestead Exemption credit from the state. She added that the county has been “very generous” with its Homestead Exemption and assessment freeze.
“I would challenge, actually, anyone in the audience to go to any other county and have a lower tax bill than what you have in Habersham County.” Seizing on her comment, Gaddis replied they could discuss who to blame or what county is doing what, but “We’re talking about Habersham County.”
Carol Lonergan of Cornelia has spoken previously about her concerns with county spending. She did so again Wednesday night.
“Why don’t you look at decreasing the budget? There’s so much that could be cut.”
During the hearing, Commissioner Harkness said that he, too, believes the county needs to “live within its means.”
Gaddis told the commission that their management team needs to prioritize a budget that benefits the whole county, not just a few, and remove all of the “fluff.” He suggested to the commission that there are other ways to save money by developing private/public partnerships or privatizing some functions altogether to save taxpayers money.
Resigned but hopeful
“I am fully aware that nothing anyone says here tonight and in the next two meetings is going to change the outcome of this tax increase,” Gaddis said. “How do I know that?” He explained that everything that the commission has done up to this point, including setting the budget, was based on these anticipated assessments and tax increase.
Gaddis expressed to the commission that a lot of people in the community can’t afford these increases and are forced to live within their means.
“I think you need to do some soul searching and narrow down what are necessities and what are wants,” he told the commission.
A few “Amens” rose up from the crowd with his statement.
After the meeting, Commissioner Harkness told Now Habersham, “I absolutely think we need to roll the taxes back as the school board did. We need to give the taxpayers a break.”
However, Commissioner Bruce Palmer says he does not support a millage rate rollback.
“I think we need to leave it [the millage rate] the same as it is. Habersham County has so many issues we just can’t keep rolling the millage rate back. I understand everybody is having problems with inflation, but the county is no exception to that. Everything has gone up for the county too,” said Palmer.
Akins, Mealor, and Tench did not respond to Now Habersham’s request for comment.
Last two hearings set for July 26
The county is required by law to hold two more public hearings. Both are set for next Wednesday, July 26. The 11:30 a.m. hearing will be in the Commission Conference Room of the Administration Building at 130 Jacobs Way in Clarkesville. The 6 p.m. hearing will be in the Jury Assembly Room in the Habersham County Courthouse at 295 Llewellyn Street in Clarkesville.
Commissioners will vote to finalize the millage rate immediately following the evening hearing. The public is encouraged to attend.
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