Commissioners discuss budget, hear concerns on tax appraisal increases 

PERRY – The Houston County Commissioners discussed the proposed Fiscal Year ‘25 budget and heard the public’s concerns about the recent tax appraisal increase in the latest meeting June 4.

Military speaker Staff Sgt. Derrick Hargrove is a contract specialist in the Air Force Sustainment Center Contracting. 

“For those who may not know, contract professionals are responsible for efficient and effective use of taxpayer dollars to meet Department of Defense and Air Force National Defense needs,” Hargrove said. “Contract professionals are mission-focused business leaders who research, award, administer and close out contract actions for commodities, services and disruptions using simplified acquisition procedures, negotiation and other approved methods.”

 Hargrove said their mission is to accelerate and deliver proactive, innovative and affordable contract solutions to Robins Air Force Base. 
Hargrove has been in the military for seven years and has been a contract specialist for one year. Before joining the military, Hargrove was a meteorologist for six years. 

“I will say though this new career is daunting, challenging and stressful, it is worth it,” he said. “It teaches in homes a lot of useful life skills, such as market research, legal boundaries, and most importantly, negotiation.”

Hargrove said he and many other contract specialists go through rigorous training year-round.

“We go through rigorous training year round to develop those skills needed to provide Robins Air Force Base with the lowest price technically acceptable for those items, services and construction projects our mission partners need to execute their mission property and efficiently,” he said. 

Hargrove has been stationed in Germany, Italy, Turkey and Estonia. He has also been to many other places in Europe. This is Hargrove’s first active duty back in the States and said he is adjusting back to the American lifestyle and is also fairly new to Houston County.

After Hargrove spoke, Chairman Dan Perdue said the commissioners will strive to adopt a new public comment policy and guidelines, adding it has nothing to do with property tax reassessments.

“I think we are very willing to hear about issues, but when we’re personally attacked just because somebody doesn’t like us, there’s not a whole lot we can do about that,” he said. Perdue then read a brief excerpt from the new public comment policy and guidelines. “All who are present shall refrain from making inappropriate, offensive, insulting or malicious remarks to anyone. Likewise, vocal, boisterous or otherwise disruptive demonstrations will disrupt the orderly flow of the meeting and will not be allowed. Any person engaging in this type of behavior should be ruled out of order by the chair and at the direction of the chair shall be escorted from the building.”

The Commissioners then discussed the proposed Fiscal Year ‘25 budget while also talking about the recent tax appraisal increases. 

To learn more about why tax appraisals have increased and the county’s response click here.

The Fiscal Year ‘25 budget was then presented by the Board.

 In terms of the General Fund Revenue, taxes make up about 77%. Perdue said this does include property taxes and many other taxes such as the timber tax and the tag fees that have been generated. Fees make up $6.6 million, intergovernmental transfers/payments make up about $4.5 million, court fines are about $2.5 million.

“Compared to previous years, last year we budgeted about $60.6 million in taxes. This year we are budgeting $62.3 million in taxes,” Perdue said. We have already taken in the fiscal year ‘24 more taxes than we are budgeting for next year. That is why we are so confident about our ability to roll back the millage rate.”

 Sources of revenue grew from about $75.9 million to about $81.3 million. 

The overall priorities of the fiscal year ‘25 budget include maintaining fiscal conservatism, merit increases for current employees who qualify, supporting investment in critical technology and infrastructure, and the offering of new positions where needed which are fewer than in fiscal year ‘24. 

A few items of note the Board mentioned include no increase in the taxes the county has taken in from the previous year. The county plans to transfer from the prior year’s reserve to make the personal adjustments the county makes and there will be an increase in interest earned income. 

General Fund expenses are divided for public safety at 48.6%, general government at 19.7%, judicial at 17.9%, and highways and streets at 9.8%. 
Also, the Board has budgeted many new positions for fiscal year ‘25. These include one opening in the Magistrate Court, Public Defender and Agriculture Resources, two openings in the Tax Commissioner’s office. 

After this presentation, many people who attended the meeting expressed concern about the increasing tax appraisals.

 Some people were concerned about the process being used for the assessment. One couple mentioned their property value has increased 57% in the last four years. The husband of the couple had concerns about property values being assessed due to accessories on the property like a pool. He said his pool increased in value from $12,000 to $27,000 and had never seen that before. 

A few senior citizens also had concerns about the increase in taxes. One senior citizen suggested a tax cap due to fixed incomes. She then had concerns about being pushed out of her home due to the rising tax appraisals. 

Another citizen wondered why Houston County had a tax cap and if there was any possibility of that getting revoked.

“To remove the tax cap would take the vote of all the citizens in Houston County who are registered to vote,” Perdue said. “It takes more of a legislative action by this body to remove the tax cap.”

 One concerned citizen said the county appraiser appraised her home $100,000 more than the certified licensed appraiser her bank had provided. She said she is willing to go to court about this issue. Other citizens also had this issue with the county appraiser.

 “If you have questions on the validity of that value, please reach out to them and they will be very willing to show you comparables that have had transactions on them for more than likely similar values,” Perdue said.  

Also, some senior citizens agreed in wondering why they must pay a school tax even though they have no kids in the Houston County School District. 

“I think this comes up occasionally for dropping the school tax off of senior citizens and while it is something we consider internally sometimes, I think we are proud in Houston County to have a very strong public school system that’s been supported by people that are using the system and not throughout the years and it is very valuable to have that,” Perdue said. “Chief Alan Everidge used to tell me when he was running the prison, ‘you’re either going to pay them in the schools or pay for them in the prison’, and I think that is the mentality that this community has taken is that we value everyone contributing to public education.” 

The next Houston County Commissioners’ meeting will be held June 18, 5 p.m. at 200 Carl Vinson Parkway. To view the minutes of this meeting in full, go to houstoncountyga.org/commissioner/meeting-minutes.cms.