Paris said reports saying SPLOST is new are wrong
As a public hearing opened on the proposed millage rate for Gilmer County, Chair Charlie Paris jumped in with a correction for some on social media about another issue.
“There is a lot of information out there right now that we are asking for a new SPLOST,” he said at the Aug. 14 hearing. “This is not a new SPLOST.”
Gilmer County has a SPLOST, which is a one cent sales tax, that is about to expire. The sales tax is used to pay bonds which were used to build several buildings in the county including the courthouse and update equipment.
Paris said this SPLOST has been in place and renewed for 20 years or more and is about to expire. The board is moving to renew it for another six years, which should handle the final payments on the bond notes.
“I would like to caution people, given what is out there, this is not new, this is just what we already got,” he said.
If the SPLOST is not approved, the county could be looking at a two to four mil increase to pay for the bonds.
“When this debt was incurred, property tax of the county was pledged to support that debt,” Paris said. “If it is not paid, the state just comes in and takes the property tax and pays it. Not something we want to happen.”
Post Commissioner John Marshall said he did some rough calculations, and if the SPLOST failed, a resident with taxes of $1,000 would go to $1,500 to handle the debt.
Paris said he would rather pay one cent sales tax rather than 50 percent more property tax.
Doug Rink said he thought the commissioners should concentrate on passing the SPLOST and give up the millage increase.
Gilmer County Commissioners are proposing to increase the millage rate by .5 mils and drop the bond rate by .25 for a net .25 increase over last year.
A sheet was available at the meeting which showed for a $250,000 home the net increase between raising the maintenance budget millage rate by .5 mils and lowering the bond millage rate by .25 mils would be $25. The total county portion of taxes would be $632.90.
For a $500,000 home, the net increase would be $50 for a total county bill of $1,265.80.
For a $1,000,000 home, the net increase would be $100 for a total county bill of $2,531.60.
Other business
At the regular meeting following the public hearing, commissioners passed the second reading of the outdoor lighting ordinance.