Dougherty Commission holds first hearings on property tax increase

ALBANY — The midst of a pandemic is not the time to be increasing Dougherty County residents’ property taxes was the message of two speakers at a Monday public hearing on property taxes.

The Dougherty County Commission did not increase the tax rate levied on the county’s property owners, but the board did not roll back the millage rate to reflect a 0.57 percent growth in the overall property digest. Under Georgia law, that is considered a tax increase and requires three public hearings.

The tentative millage rate for the county’s 2020-2021 general fund budget will remain at 15.569 mills, which is expected to bring in about $31.2 million, while the rate for the special tax district that covers the unincorporated portion of the county will stay the same at 9.173.

If the commission had rolled back the general fund millage rate to generate the same amount of revenue through property taxes for the 2020-2021 budget year as the previous year, residents with a house valued at $100,000 would have seen a reduction of $3.34 in the amount of taxes owed.

A rollback on a residence of the same value for the special tax district levy would have reduced the property tax owed by $1.37.

The special tax district digest increased by 0.39 percent from the previous year. The special tax district levy covers fire protection and recreation in unincorporated Dougherty County.

For residents whose property value remained the same, there will be no increase, while those who saw a decline in property value will pay less.

During the first of two Monday hearings, Albany real estate agent Burt Newcombe suggested that the county instead go after those who are in arrears on taxes rather than impose the property tax increase that will hit some residents.

“In the middle of a pandemic, (when) people are losing income, jobs, lives, doesn’t seem like the time,” he said. “To me, you might even go after the $5 million back property taxes that you have. Why should we increase property taxes on people who are already paying them?”

Albany resident William Wright said the budget and tax rates were prepared during “secret meetings,” referring to the virtual meetings held during the pandemic.

The commission suspended live meetings in March to limit the gathering of a large audience at the weekly meetings.

During that time the commission has held virtual meetings available for viewing on Facebook.

“(That) money needs to be returned to the public,” Wright said. “Why? Because you hit us three years ago with a whopping 25 percent tax increase. This is a term to be returning it during the pandemic, not to be reaching and grabbing for money because it’s there.”

The final public hearing on the tax increase will be held at 10 a.m. on Aug. 17.

“The millage rate remaining the same as last year, that’s the important thing,” Commission Chairman Chris Cohilas said as he opened the public hearing.

File Photo: Alan Mauldin
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