Correction to last post, billboards, grants & more

I've corrected my last post regarding the millage rate, tax increase, etc. In that post I said the County Commission had held their three meetings regarding the millage rate. Not so this year. Last year they didn't offset the millage rate (tax hike) and earlier this year had said they weren't going to be able to offset the millage rate. I missed a number of meetings during the campaign season and somehow confused the budget hearings with the millage rate hearings. So sorry, mud on my face and all that other gunk to go with it!

The rest of the info is correct re: Fayetteville, Peachtree City and School Board.

I was at the County Commission meeting tonight and realized they had not had the hearings. In fact, it looks like they're going to offset the millage rate (not sure if it will be the full amount, but an offset is an offset and better than none!). Glad they're doing that. Especially in light of the salary increases they've handed out, and the upcoming bills we'll be seeing if they institute the defined benefit plan like they voted to do...

I heard a few different numbers during the campaign from Herb Frady and Robert Horgan, but the county has frozen or not hired up to 27 positions (depending on which forum and who was speaking). That's quite a savings though one has to wonder if they needed the 27 positions if they can do without them...

I am glad to see what the millage rate offset.

One thing tonight did concern me though. Senator Ronnie Chance was successful in getting the County $200,000 for the Emergency Center Interim County Manager Jack Krakeel has been wanting to build. It was originally in the plan to be built way down the road years out but when Krakeel became the Interim it was moved forward and in the budget. It's one of the items that was pulled and pushed back this year when they started looking for ways to pay for other items.

Once caveat with the $200,000 grant is that it has to be used within 12 months. Guess what that means? We're going to see the multi-million dollar Emergency Center back on the drawing board sometime in the fairly near future I'd guess.

Oh, did I mention they voted to settle the lawsuit regarding the billboards? Yep. It was an interesting piece of sophistry that made it all sound well and good that they were nobly going to settle the law suits. I loved the part where they determined that the case had been LOST twice before as justification for not going forward. It hadn't been lost, it had been remanded or returned for tweaking. I'll get the facts for you, know enough at this point to be dangerous but not necessarily completely factual! I learned my lesson on that last post... I usually pride myself on making sure I check and double-check the facts. I do not like to mislead!

Another little factoid --- Peter Pfeifer was the lone Commissioner to vote against settling the billboard case.

Some food for thought... once the door has been opened by the settling of the case, there are going to be others lined up to put up more billboards. Today it's two new billboards, tomorrow it's two more, ten more and pretty soon we've lost another part of Fayette County that made us special.

And, one more little bit on that one. The billboard company sued for eight signs, they settled for two. They also didn't want all their legal fees, asked for roughly half. Why would anyone who could win eight signs be willing to settle for only two? Why would they give away half their legal fees? Why not go forward and get what they supposedly wanted all along? Could it be they only wanted two to begin with? Could it be they know they'll be able to get more down the road? Why in the world would these guys settle for a quarter of what they wanted? They're throwing a lot of money down the drain.... Why?

Back to my original error re: the millage rate... Luckily, this is a blog, an opinion, not meant to be literal news reporting... but it still doesn't make me feel any better. Wrong is wrong! Apologies.

Kudos to Peachtree City for Saying it Straight

Peachtree City is raising taxes. If you live in Peachtree City that can’t make you a happy camper (or more accurately, a happy home owner). You tax bill is going to be higher.

The School Board is also raising taxes. The County Commission raised taxes last year and said earlier they were going to raise them this year.

Whoa, you say, I haven’t heard that. In fact according to some of the campaign literature I received the Commissioners said they haven’t raised taxes in two years. Janet, you have to be mistaken.

Nope. It’s just like former President Clinton’s statement regarding the definition of “is”. There are taxes and then there are taxes.

When Peachtree City says they’re raising taxes, they are doing exactly the same thing the County did last year and the School Board did both years. However, rather than candy-coating it with misunderstood terminology, “millage rate”, they said it straight out with great honesty.

Here’s a real simplified explanation of how millage rates work (don’t hold my feet to the fire if it’s not 100% technically complete, I’ll link you to an article that uses all the correct terms at the end of my editorial):

When your property values increase, which they usually do each year, the governing authority has the ability to off-set that increased value by decreasing or rolling back the millage rate. If they roll it back, those taxes don’t go up. If they leave it without changing anything your taxes go UP due to the increased value of your property. If they RAISE the millage rate, the taxes go up even higher.

Not rolling back the millage rate is called a “back-door tax increase”. Because it’s such a sneaky way to get more tax dollars from you, the state finally started requiring cities and counties to hold three public hearings anytime they weren’t going to roll back the millage rate.

Fayetteville isn’t rolling their back and neither is the School Board. Now Peachtree City is doing the same.

Those living inside the cities will get a double whammy. Their city and the school board didn’t offset the mill rate.

Unfortunately, even though the state requires the three hearings, most people only see something about their governing body having a public meeting regarding the millage rate. I’d venture to guess that 80% of the population doesn’t equate millage rate with tax hike.

In fact, I sat through a County budget meeting last year and Fayette County Commissioner Eric Maxwell said something to the effect that they weren’t going to raise taxes, no way, no sir. However, he said, they wouldn’t be able to roll back the millage rate for the first time in five or six years. I was filming that day, maybe I’ll go back and see if I can dig it up for you.

A tax hike by any name is a tax increase. Whether you say your not rolling back the millage rate or say you’re increasing taxes.

Although I’d prefer that Peachtree City not increase taxes, at least they say it like it is.

School Board SPLOST and Aquatic Facility

Last night the School Board met to discuss the possibility of asking voters to agree to a once-cent tax hike to pay for what appears to be much-needed improvements and items for our students.

I listened as various department heads and staff explained each of the items listed on the proposal.

I understand the need. The state has some pretty stiff requirements on where the money they send to the county is spent. Unfortunately, they don’t fund quite a number of things that make our schools shine and the School Board has to figure out a way to get that money. According to the handout at the meeting, in the last several yeas the state has reduced funding by approximately $21 million. That’s a lot of money.

To add to their dollar woes, property values (and thus tax collections) are down and gas and food prices are continuing to increase.

I see the need for a SPLOST if we’re going to keep our schools the best in the state. I’m not entirely sold yet as I’m never in favor of raising taxes.

However, when I saw that included in this list of dire need items was an aquatic facility I did a double take.

The long laundry list of items included putting new roofs on schools that hadn’t seen new roof tile in over 20 years. Computers and updating software that in some cases was 8 or more years old. Buying buses that should have been bought last year but funds weren’t available. Security cameras for the older schools to protect our kids.

And an aquatic center?

Sorry, lost my vote if that stays on the list. They’re estimating up to ten million dollars to build an aquatic center. They want to partner with the County Recreation Department or possibly the YMCA.

In these times where we’re all wondering if we’re going to be able to afford to pay for our next tank of gas we’re looking at building a multi-million dollar swim center? I’d have a hard time swallowing that one in the best of times.

Per Dr. DeCotis, Peachtree City is having some funding issues and may not be able to put the bubble on the Kedron pool. The annual cost for putting up the bubble (so the pool can be used in the winter I assume) is roughly $300,000. Peachtree City currently charges a fee per use of the pool. They are considering getting the School Board, and others who may use the pool, to help fund putting up the bubble. Ten million dollars can pay for a lot of pool use in Peachtree City for years to come and help the city, too.

Our swim team students also travel to Clayton County to use their aquatic center. The cost is time, bus use and gasoline plus the fees charged by the county.

I understand that SPLOST money probably can’t be used to pay for gas to travel to Clayton County or for swimming fees in Peachtree City. However, last night they talked numerous times about swapping money around. If the SPLOST paid for this item then they could reduce the M&O by this much. They can fund something else that’s needed using the SPLOST and find the money to pay for the swim team to practice at Kedron.

They WANT an aquatic center. The YMCA WANTS an aquatic center. Some of the County Commissioners WANT an aquatic center.

It’s not a need, it’s a want.

Having the aquatic center on the list of what sounded like dire “needs” for the school system diminished the entire list. The discussion’s last night made it sounds like they’re probably going to pull it off the list. I hope so.