More than 30 people attended a public hearing on a proposed tax hike Thursday night with seven speaking in opposition to the plan and asking the commissioners to find other options for cutting the budget. The BOC is proposing increasing the millage rate by 1.75 mills to 9.9. This will mean an additional $70 in taxes per $100,000 in property value. This would mean a person who owns a $300,000 home would owe an additional $210 in taxes.
The BOC will hold a final public hearing on the proposed millage rate increase at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 30, at the courthouse annex. A vote on the proposed millage rate will immediately follow this public hearing.
At the public hearing Thursday, Ray Holcomb was among those speaking against the proposed tax hike.
“One of the most unfair taxes in America is the property tax,” he said. “We have so many people who don’t own any property and pay taxes but they are entitled to the same benefits as those who pay taxes.”
He asked the BOC to look for other sources to cut revenue.
Martha Threatt questioned the proposed tax hike during a time when “people are out of work and real estate is down.”
“I don’t understand why this is happening,” she added.
Jerry Loftice said he “sees a lot of waste” in government and believes other cuts can be made to the budget.
“Manpower really needs to be looked at,” he said. “Are we getting the more bang for our buck. Let’s see where we can trim more fat.”
Ray Gowder said, “This is not a time to have a tax increase. If you operate a business, you have to cut things out. Y’all need to do the same thing.”
COMMISSIONERS RESPOND
BOC chairman Milton Dalton said the county is operating with a 11 percent loss due to the decrease in sales tax revenue. He said the proposed budget has no salary raises, no new vehicles or other capital expenses.
“It is just bare necessities,” he said. “ … This budget was 4 mills short to start and we’re just adding 1.75 mills.”
Commissioner Rickey Cain added, “We can’t come up with what we need to cover the expenditures … We’ve done everything we can to cut and save. When the revenue doesn’t come in, you go to property tax. That is the bottom line.”
You are right everyone except the commissioners seems to see all the waste in Banks county government---all they need to do is open their eyes and look around.
Like he said learn to tighten up like the rest of America has had to do.
200,000 property value==$140 more in taxes!!
300,000 property value==$210 more in taxes!!
Dalton said no salary increases--when he completes his term at $70,000+ he will get an automatic 2.5% increase or about an additional $1750 per year for his job.
Keith Covington routinely drives his truck in Banks, Habersham, Jackson, and Hall county to run all his personal errands. What kind of county work related to his job is Covington doing at Ingles grocery on Sunday afternoon?? Surely nothing to do with his job since it is not even in Banks county.
I realize that a few employees on call need a car at times to respond to emergencies. How many times this year has Covington needed his truck to respond to an after hour emergency? How much could this one department save if the truck was only driven for work related business?? Let the employees drive to work in their own car and spend their money on gas, insurance, tags, etc just like the rest of us taxpayers have to do.
How many of you complained a few years ago during the boom when the $$$ was pouring in and the county was adding and building ?? Wasn't in your pockets then so hey keep building new buildings and fire stations. How many went in front of our former commisinors when are fire/ems went paid ?
This is 8-10 years in the making people not a currant issue. I took the time to study the county budget recentlly and the is no where to cut unless of coarse you folks want to cut services that are already way behind the times.
Even if your comment is true about it taking 8-10 years to get in the shape the budget is now in, you are wrong it is a current issue.
Since you studied the budget recently exactly what amount was allowed for county employees to drive county trucks to Walmart, dentist and doctor appt, and to the grocery store???
All of us have to live in our budget the county commissioners need to learn the same lesson as the rest of us.
If you claim Banks County has less employees why are the salaries the biggest expense in the county?
You could furlough employees at the tag office, tax assessors office, commissioners office, water dept office, building inspectors office, code enforcement office just to name a few. If some of these people were forced to take a day off without pay maybe they would think twice before doing the grocery shopping at the expense of the county taxpayers.
Let's stay on the topic here, spending taxpayer's money is an issue we need to be concerned about. If you are a concerned citizen you will spread the word to be at the BOC meeting Monday Nov. 30, at the annex building to voice your concerns about the increase in property tax. Look around, there is a 53% increase in foreclosures in this county, if you cant afford to pay to keep your property how can you afford a tax increase and if you don't pay the county will take it!!
Population, 2008 estimate 16,760 9,685,744
Population, percent change, April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2008 16.2% 18.3%
Population estimates base (April 1) 2000 14,422 8,186,812
Persons under 5 years old, percent, 2008 6.8% 7.6%
Persons under 18 years old, percent, 2008 25.1% 26.3%
Persons 65 years old and over, percent, 2008 12.2% 10.1%
Female persons, percent, 2008 50.0% 50.8%
White persons, percent, 2008 (a) 94.1% 65.4%
Black persons, percent, 2008 (a) 3.9% 30.0%
American Indian and Alaska Native persons, percent, 2008 (a) 0.3% 0.4%
Asian persons, percent, 2008 (a) 1.0% 2.9%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, percent, 2008 (a) 0.1% 0.1%
Persons reporting two or more races, percent, 2008 0.7% 1.3%
Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin, percent, 2008 (b) 3.8% 8.0%
White persons not Hispanic, percent, 2008 90.4% 58.1%
Living in same house in 1995 and 2000, pct 5 yrs old & over 60.9% 49.2%
Foreign born persons, percent, 2000 2.1% 7.1%
Language other than English spoken at home, pct age 5+, 2000 3.7% 9.9%
High school graduates, percent of persons age 25+, 2000 65.4% 78.6%
Bachelor's degree or higher, pct of persons age 25+, 2000 8.6% 24.3%
Persons with a disability, age 5+, 2000 3,028 1,456,812
Mean travel time to work (minutes), workers age 16+, 2000 30.1 27.7
Housing units, 2008 6,864 4,026,082
Homeownership rate, 2000 80.9% 67.5%
Housing units in multi-unit structures, percent, 2000 1.9% 20.8%
Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2000 $92,400 $111,200
Households, 2000 5,364 3,006,369
Persons per household, 2000 2.69 2.65
Median household income, 2007 $43,813 $49,080
Per capita money income, 1999 $17,424 $21,154
Persons below poverty, percent, 2007 13.7% 14.3%
Business QuickFacts Banks County Georgia
Private nonfarm establishments, 2007 298 231,8101
Private nonfarm employment, 2007 3,693 3,648,4181
Private nonfarm employment, percent change 2000-2007 21.3% 4.7%1
Nonemployer establishments, 2007 1,456 738,158
Total number of firms, 2002 986 674,521
Black-owned firms, percent, 2002 F 13.4%
American Indian and Alaska Native owned firms, percent, 2002 F 0.7%
Asian-owned firms, percent, 2002 F 4.0%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander owned firms, percent, 2002 F 0.0%
Hispanic-owned firms, percent, 2002 F 2.7%
Women-owned firms, percent, 2002 S 29.1%
Manufacturers shipments, 2002 ($1000) NA 126,156,636
Wholesale trade sales, 2002 ($1000) 15,288 201,091,040
Retail sales, 2002 ($1000) 106,327 90,098,578
Retail sales per capita, 2002 $7,012 $10,551
Accommodation and foodservices sales, 2002 ($1000) 8,363 12,740,423
Building permits, 2008 74 35,368
Federal spending, 2008 62,134 74,164,6421
Geography QuickFacts Banks County Georgia
Land area, 2000 (square miles) 233.67 57,906.14
Persons per square mile, 2000 61.6 141.4
FIPS Code 011 13
Metropolitan or Micropolitan Statistical Area None
1: Includes data not distributed by county.
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(a) Includes persons reporting only one race.
(b) Hispanics may be of any race, so also are included in applicable race categories.
D: Suppressed to avoid disclosure of confidential information
F: Fewer than 100 firms
FN: Footnote on this item for this area in place of data
NA: Not available
S: Suppressed; does not meet publication standards
X: Not applicable
Z: Value greater than zero but less than half unit of measure shown
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Source U.S. Census Bureau: State and County QuickFacts. Data derived from Population Estimates, Census of Population and Housing, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, State and County Housing Unit Estimates, County Business Patterns, Nonemployer Statistics, Economic Census, Survey of Business Owners, Building Permits, Consolidated Federal Funds Report
Last Revised: Tuesday, 17-Nov-2009 11:49:29 EST Skip footer sectionPrivacy g to good....
INFORMATION FROM THE COUNTY IS: The annual base salary is $60,000. After certification is received, an additional $1,200 (annually) is added to the base salary. In addition to the base salary there are also supplements and the longevity factor.
The salary for the present chairman, Milton Dalton, amounts to an annual salary of $70,010.90. I am not including whatever amount he receives in a retirement pension.
I was basing my comment of $70,000+ on information provided by the county for the BOC salary only. Do you have first hand knowledge that this is incorrect?? What are you basing you statement of retirement and BOC salary both only amounting to $67,000???
I will stand by my statement made on 11/26/09 from information that was provided by the county. Where did you come up with the figure of $67,000 for BOC chairman and retirement pension???
screwing them out of any money. I take my
lunch hour to pick up my kids everyday which the County does not pay. Also some of the other people do the same or they are part time and get off at 3:00pm everday to pick up kids. People that are paid hourly must account for their time off.
We need commissioners who are capable and wise to move us forward, not backward; or Banks County is doomed to just stagnate while those around us prosper.
1.) Our home that we sold WAS NOT IN FORECLOSURE!
2.) Randy and I have PAID OUR TAXES EACH YEAR. If you are still concerned please go to the tax office and check the records.
3.) I AM NOT A COUNTY EMPLOYEE. I am contracted through a State Family Connection Grant. I have a board that sets the budget and oversees the operations of the 3-Year plan. The 3-Year plan is based on the needs that are identified in a community assessment of the county. A collaborative networking group of different agencies and representatives come together on a monthly basis to work on the strategies and goals of the 3-Year plan.
4.) For all of the other positions that you have questions about those are volunteer. I volunteer my time to be the Director of the Banks County Community Resource Association, Inc. (which includes the food bank, clothes closet, Christmas program), volunteer on the Med-Link board, volunteer EMA Coordinator, volunteer Housing Authority board, etc. The key word here is VOLUNTEER - NO MONEY. I didn't take these positions for money. I took the position to serve the families and children here in the community and I have done that for the past 9 years.
5.) I have also heard about the rumors that I am against poultry farmers and conservation land use. I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO HEAR IT FROM ME - I AM NOT AGAINST POULTRY FARMERS OR CONSERVATION LAND USE.
I hope this will put these rumors to rest but if you still have concerns please give me a call at 678-316-7187.
My complaints are with the morons running the county now. Dalton, has no clue but then again he is a native of Banks - Barefoot a double dipper couldn't get out of a wet paper bag and Cain, please nuff said.
Government is going to keep taking, and taking until it reaches a point that people will stand up - Dalton and his huge salary while I must leave the county for a simple job. Candidates have spewed their job crap for years, only to get into office and forget about those jobs. What will you do if elected? The same thing everyone else has done, not a crapping thing. Martin Bridge road will be a desolate intersection 10 years from now because the leaders of Banks County can't stay out of La Hacienda long enough to make a crapping decision.
Not a big deal. Sorry!!