The Mt. Airy Town Council is expected to set the town’s new millage rate during a special called meeting tonight at 7:00.
Commissioners are considering a possible millage rate increase due to downturns in revenue. They postponed a decision earlier this month.
Mt. Airy Mayor Ray McAllister says competition for package store sales in other parts of the county has cost the town somewhere in the neighborhood of $27,000 in tax revenue.
Mt. Airy has seen a significant decrease in Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC) revenue this year as well. That department is responsible for running background checks for local law enforcement and outside businesses and agencies.
The Mt. Airy Town Council considered raising taxes last year but chose not to. This year may be a different story. The mayor says he’d like to see a one-mill increase.
At the September 11 meeting, councilmember Mike McCoy said he was not opposed to a millage rate increase but felt that it should be done in small increments.
Councilmember Patrick Ledford said the council has a responsibility to maintain service
“I think, as much as we have a fiduciary responsibility, you know, responsible for taxpayer’s dollars and not raise taxes – which we can all agree, we have successfully done for decades – there is also the other responsibility that we are making sure we have funds to provide services to our constituents,” said Ledford.
Tonight’s council meeting will be held at Mt. Airy Town Hall.
Meanwhile, in Clarkesville, Habersham County commissioners will hold their monthly work session and meeting this evening.
The work session begins at 5 p.m. The meeting will immediately follow at 6 p.m. in the Habersham County Courthouse Jury Assembly Room at 295 Llewellyn Street.
