Jones County taxpayers voiced their objections about rising taxes at two public hearings Nov.27 and again last week before the commissioners set the tax rate.

Commissioners rolled back the county’s millage rate from 14.63 to 13.33 when the rate was officially adopted Dec. 6, a reduction of 1.4 mills, but the reduction will not be enough to offset the tax increase for many taxpayers when their tax bills are received later this month due to this year’s countywide property revaluation.

The county tax rate for property owners living inside the city limits is 14.65 because they do not receive the 1.32 insurance premium tax rollback afforded those living in the unincorporated portion of Jones County.

County Administrator Mike Underwood said the proposed budget for the 2007-08 fiscal year is $17,368,438. Commissioners used $125,000 of fund balance so they could balance the budget and roll back the tax rate.

The budget increase over last year’s total of $14,916,875 is $2,451,563 or 16.43 percent. According to the county’s five-year history, its total countywide value grew from $568,939,768 in 2006 to $745,024,612 in 2007 following this year’s countywide revaluation of property values, a growth of $176,084,844 or 30.94 percent.

The two largest expenditures, according to the budget summary, are for the Sheriff’s Department at $4,552,859 or approximately 26 percent of the total budget and the Public Works Department at $5,176,852 or approximately 30 percent.

Public hearings

Former commissioner Susan Green spoke at the final budget hearing asking the board members to be as conservative as possible.

“It’s disappointing to have taxes go up this much again,” she said. “Property taxes funding 78 percent of the budget is high. Previously it was about 60 percent. We are getting growth so we should see growth in other area and take the tax burden off taxpayers.”

Green said the commissioners need to do something to slow down rising taxes and reminded them that local control needs local responsibility.

“You all are looking like the poster child for Glenn Richardson’s GREAT Tax,” she added.

Commissioner Bert Liston said work is being done to develop the industrial park and to establish impact fees.

“We are unhappy to have to raise taxes, but we went over every item,” the commissioner said.

In the 10 a.m. hearing Nov. 27, Tony Wadford said a few people are carrying most of the tax burden. Wadford asked about the county’s lack of paid firefighters and was surprised to find out that Gray’s fire department is also all volunteers.

“Our problem is no money,” Commissioner Larry Childs explained. “We are building the stations to staff because we are planning to get there.”

With the tax burden we are carrying, I can’t see why the money is not there,” Wadford said.

Childs said he is not opposed to hiring firefighters but the cost to the county would be $300,000 to $400,000 to fill those slots.

Wadford said he believed there are places where money could be moved to better serve taxpayers.

“I do support what you are saying, and I want to get there,” Childs said.

Wadford said his biggest concern is that tax breaks are not being applied to the right place.

Philip Wadford said he owns two-and-one-half acres on Griswoldville Road, and he does not understand how his property increased in value from $75,000 to $112,000 with an aging house and buildings.

“I appealed, and they lowered it, but it still increased 36 percent. Now I have a second disagreement lodged with them,” Wadford said.

Chairman Preston Hawkins commented that the appeals were out of the hands of the commissioners.

Childs explained that the revaluation was mandated by the state because property values were too low.

“I understand what you are saying because the same thing happened to me,” he added.

The commissioners heard more of the same at the 6 p.m. hearing. Wayne Watkins said there is no way his property increased $52,000.

“Counties around me are cheaper. If I can’t afford to live in Jones County, I need to know that,” Watkins remarked. “If the industrial park was done 20 years ago, we wouldn’t be here now.”

Charlie Kuzak asked what about the greatest cost to the county and what is being done to reduce it.

“Retirees receive a 2 to 3 percent increase per year, but we are expected to come up with 20 percent for new taxes,” he stated.

Phyllis Gregory said she too is on a fixed income and the large tax increase will make it difficult.

“I don’t understand with all the people coming in; they pay taxes. What is Jones County going to do with all the property when people can’t pay their taxes?” she asked.

Grace Griffin said she was disappointed with what she heard at the hearing.

“We are getting no answers. If you are taking our money, we want to know the breakdown,” she said.

Hawkins explained that budget breakdowns are available at any time from the county administrator’s office.

Rate adopted

Liston made the motion to adopt the budget and the millage rate at the Dec. 6 meeting and received no response from other board members.

Following a long pause, Childs was the first to speak.

“I know we’ve had many meetings and the only thing I know we could do to reduce taxes is to cut some services. This is a pretty stiff increase between the school board and us,” Childs commented.

Commissioner David Gault said he sees items in the budget not needed and if the board was frugal cuts could be made.

Commissioner Mell Merritt asked Childs and Gault why this was being brought up now after months of workshops working on the budget, and Underwood reminded the board members that Tax Commissioner Brian Jackson was waiting to take the signed budget document to Atlanta for approval.

“Brian has to get the report to Atlanta today or we will have to go through the whole process again,” Underwood said.

Childs talked more about cutting services, mentioning the Code Enforcement Officer, the consultant for drainage and road, and the five-man crews installing drainage culverts as possibilities.

Gault suggested going over the budget line by line again.

“If we cut $100 here and $100 there, it adds up,” he said.

“I thought that is what we have been doing,” Merritt responded.

Gault commented that it seems when he makes suggestions he is not taken seriously, and Childs reiterated that the only way to reduce the budget was to cut services.

Hawkins called for a vote and the budget and tax rate were adopted unanimously.