Residents Oppose Tax Increase

Nine days ago, when the gave taxpayers an opportunity to weigh in on a proposed tax increase, .

Tonight, with just five days to go before the board is expected to adopt a new millage rate for the county, several residents piped up during the third of four public hearings on the topic.

One came from Nelson.

“We do not want increases or flat revenue to cover bloated salaries and bureaucracies,” Bill McNiff said. “… You need to revisit your plans and reduce spending by at least as much as we have reduced our spending.”

Another traveled from Acworth.

“I don’t think you have any other choice, and it’s hard for me to say this, but to raise the millage rate,” Jerry Lanham said. “If I need the fire department, if I need the sheriff, I want them at my house. Those things are critical to this county.

“Things that do bother me: we’re building all these parks. We’re seeing all around us counties that are failing and having problems funding these. … Are we going to have user fees to cover all the maintenance so when this park bond runs out it will pay for itself?”

There was a man from BridgeMill.

“I think you all are doing fine job, but I think you can do a better job,” Christian Stevens said. “The county and the citizens are suffering. We are all taxed enough already. We don’t need more taxes. Please make more cuts.”

And there was a retired New York law enforcement official from Canton.

“I came from a time and place where if you didn’t have the money," Vince Haaland said, "you didn’t spend it. You just got to learn to tighten your belts just like the rest of the world.”

County manager Jerry Cooper said officials have identified–and will continue to identify—cuts and other sources of revenue to reduce the burden on taxpayers.

One of the early proposals would have seen the millage rate increase from the current 8.298 mills to 9.569 mills.

That was when the county estimated a $5 million shortfall in the general fund caused by a reduction in property values over the years.

The impact to residents would've been a $47.88 jump in the tax bills of those who own homes valued at $169,300.

After the county found other revenue sources—the imminent sale of the old county administrative building among them—the amount of that shortfall dropped to $2.7 million. Tonight, Cooper presented an estimated tax rate of 9.189. At that rate, residents would see a $23.65 increase in their bills.

"We're getting closer," Cooper said. "And we'll continue to work the rest of this week until Aug. 2."

That's when the county will hold the last public hearing at 6 p.m., then adopt the millage rates for the county and the Cherokee Board of Education.

Also tonight:

• The board extended the moratorium on pain clinics through September 2011. "Hopefully this extension will give us time to compile an ordinance to prevent the pill mill yet still allow the true pain clinic," Post 2 Commissioner Jim Hubbard said.