Mayor Kelly Girtz making a virtual visit the WUGA studio this week. One of the most pressing issues the Mayor discussed, the Fiscal Year 2021 budget.
Girtz says he is not calling for a property tax increase.
“I’ve proposed a slight lowering of the millage rate by an eighth of a point,” Girtz said. “I’ve proposed that we also lower the liquor licensing fee by half in a deep dive for Fiscal Year 2021, and we’ve also proposed that we lower water and sewer fees, both in terms of the base rate and in terms of the escalator that people realize as they use more water.”
A series of public meetings regarding the budget are scheduled. The first taxpayer Bill of Rights meeting takes place this evening at 5:30. The process can seem complicated.
“If you think about property taxes really there are two variables. There’s the rate of taxation, the millage rate and then there’s the value of that individual property, or that property assessment. In Georgia, like in a lot of states, those two apparatuses are completely legally separated.”
The mayor says that means the entities work independently of each other.
“So the board of assessors, with the assessment staff, goes and they determine what is market value for a property. Obviously you can contest that, you just go to accgov.com and navigate to the assessor’s site and you can find out how to contest that assessment if you believe that it’s been inappropriately assessed.”
Additional public meetings are scheduled in June. Visit www.accgov.com, for more information. Commissioners will vote on the 140 million measure on June 16. Girtz has also included raises for county employees.
