(Corrected to say four commissioners voted for the full rollback)
At a special called meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 9, the Augusta Commission failed to take action on a proposal from the Finance Department that would start the process to determine the millage rates for next year.
Finance Director Donna Williams explained that the proposed rates would not be final until a special called meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 30 where the commission would set the final rates after public hearings.
Williams’ presentation recommended the city advertise an increase in property taxes on houses that have increased in value, but stated the figures could be changed or rolled back in future meetings.
Because property values in Augusta-Richmond County have increased by roughly 18%, the tax bill for a home now valued at $118,000 would increase by $68 per year. The “Urban Services District,” or what once encompassed the old city of Augusta is taxed differently. The bills would go up $78 on a $118,000 house.
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Williams also noted some properties valued at $100,000 that did not increase in value over the last year would actually see about a $20 decrease in their tax bill.
The presentation also included a .25 mills increase in the Fire Protection Tax to allow the Augusta Fire Department to purchase needed equipment. Williams noted that there are no allocations in the Special Local Option Sales Tax VIII for Fire Department funding.
According to Williams, by state law, the city has a deadline for publishing in the county legal organ the proposed rates as well as a five year history of the local tax digest. That deadline is Monday, Aug. 15.
In the presentation, Williams noted the projections and raw numbers are different since not everyone pays their tax bills immediately and others qualify for a discount that they might not have been qualified to receive in the past.
Therefore, adjustments are made to insure the city doesn’t experience a shortfall. Without the adjustment, the city could face a half-million dollar shortfall, according to Williams.
Even though the commission was told multiple times that the figures involved could change over the course of the next month, commissioners voted twice 5-4, which means no action could be taken.
Commissioners Bobby Williams, Francine Scott, Dennis Williams, Ben Hasan and Jordan Johnson voted to accept the recommendations and allow the process to move forward.
Commissioners John Clarke, Sean Frantom, Brandon Garrett and Catherine McKnight voted for full rollback of the millage rate.
Commissioner Al Mason did not attend the meeting and did not cast a vote that could have broken the stalemate or presented Mayor Hardie Davis Jr. an opportunity to break a tie.
Davis chided Williams that her presentation did not tell “the whole story,” and named several outspoken Augusta taxpayers who post regularly on social media, stating they would misunderstand and spread misinformation.
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“They are going to write some silly things. They’re listening and will say, ‘Y’all are mismanaging a half a million dollars,’ which is not true,” Davis said.
Mayor Pro Tem Bobby Williams supported the recommendations and said the city of Augusta needs the funding to keep growing.
“Somebody mentioned, ‘Well North Augusta is building a, um, ah…something over there.’ They’re building, but we already have one. What is it… an amphitheater? We already have one. We just need to improve it. We’re doing a lot of stuff, we’re doing roads and we’re talking about fire stations and their equipment and what have you,” Williams said.
Meanwhile, Garrett was against moving forward with the recommendation, lamenting it was unfair that the state of Georgia imposes a “tax cap” on the city; however, he did not elaborate on the state tax cap any further.
“I think there is a much more robust conversation we need to have on all of this,” Garrett said.
Since the commission was unable to move forward Tuesday, a special meeting has been called for Aug. 11.
Scott Hudson is the senior reporter for The Augusta Press. Reach him at scott@theaugustapress.com
Sylvia Cooper is a columnist with The Augusta Press. Reach her at sylvia.cooper@theaugustapress.com
