Comments (0) | |

Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009

Byron holds first hearing on tax increase

BYRON — The five people who sat in the audience at Friday evening’s public hearing to discuss Byron’s millage rate increase didn’t all live in Byron,

Talks of annexing land into the city brought Gene and Jolene Smith to the meeting.

“We’re not a part of Byron,” Gene Smith said.

“Yet,” Jolene Smith, his wife, said immediately after.

The Smiths contend that the proposed 1.5 mill tax increase, from its current rate of 7.5 mills, could affect them if the city goes through with annexing their area of Peach County, just south of the city, into Byron city limits.

“We have to borrow money to pay taxes now,” Gene Smith said. “Then they want to increase them?”

The city’s budget is coming in about $200,000 over projections, which could be helped by a new 9 mill property tax rate. After a hiring freeze and taking raises for city employees off the table, the millage increase was one of few options the council had, Mayor Larry Collins said. A mill is about $1 for every $1,000 of taxable value of a home. Councilman Michael Chumbley said the city would bring in about $239,000 from the millage increase.

“This brings us back to the even playing field,” he said. “It makes sure we can maintain our services for the residents of Byron.”

The planned millage rate is the first for the city since 2004. Collins said while the increase would probably add $20 to $30 for the average homeowner, he could understand why nobody would be eager for the hike.

“It’s bad politics,” he said.

Council members talked of better days when the economy was flourishing and the city was, too. One year in the 1980s, the millage rate was totally wiped out, Collins said.

“Unfortunately, like Congress, we can’t print money,” Councilman Michael Chidester said.

“We’ve done good where we didn’t have to furlough or lay anybody off. We’ve managed to get through the end of the year without that.”

Officials have planned two more public hearings on the matter Oct. 30 at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. at the Byron Municipal Complex. After those, a special meeting of the council is scheduled for 5:15 p.m. for a vote on the new millage rate.

To contact writer Marlon A. Walker, call 256-9685.