BOC Approve Resolution Keeping Millage Rate the Same

Not surprisingly and even less so in an election year, voted Tuesday to approve a resolution to keep the millage at 9.900, the same it’s been since 2010. And according to a report from the county finance director, revenues and expenditures are within the current budget and no budget adjustments are required.

The board’s approval comes the day after approved its millage rate of 21.950, which makes up the largest part of the tax dollars pie, at just over 68 percent. That leaves just over 30 percent to county government and the remaining .62 percent to the state.

According to Jennifer Hallman, finance director for Douglas County, apart from Public Safety, which is considerably higher, Douglas is in line with most other metro counties regarding expenditures in most categories including Judicial, Health and Welfare, Parks and Rec, Community Development and General Government.

The reason Public Safety is double or more locally is because of the $115 million dollar jail complex being constructed, with SPLOST funds, Hallman said.

Chief revenue producers for Douglas are through sales tax, including both Local Option and Special Local Option Sales tax, in addition to property tax, Ms. Hallman told the board, and added that use of SPLOST funds can bring property taxes down.

“[Because] a lot of times if you’re using SPLOST to fund capital expenditures that you would normally have to put in your general fund from property taxes,” she said.

Most counties tax digests have continued to decline over the last year, according to gross digest comparison data of neighboring counties from 2011. Douglas dropped 3.17 percent last year and 3.65 percent for 2012, with Coweta showing the least decline for 2012 at 1.80 percent and Henry the most at 11.47 percent.

The BOC also approved six consent agenda items including:

• Authorizing the chairman to sign SFY 2013 Aging Services Contract with the Atlanta Regional Commission.
• Budget amendment to reflect receipt of grant money for $16,000 from Tides Foundation to purchase Early Literacy Stations for all three libraries.
• Authorization to accept funds from the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council for the Family Dependency Treatment Court in the amount of $6,956 and amend the budget.
• Authorization to approve an agreement with Hughes-Ray Company Inc. for landscaping design at Douglas County Adult Detention and Law Enforcement building, subject to legal review.
• Award of bid for the South River Road Bridge repair project to Tidwell Construction Co. for total price of $220,289.50.
• Authorization to submit application for the continuation funding of the Victims of Crime Act grant.