Barrow Journal

The county’s budget process for fiscal year 2012 hit an unexpected roadblock Tuesday night when the Barrow County Board of Commissioners voted 4-3 to postpone a request by its chief financial officer to set a tentative property tax rate.

Rose Kisaalita said in order to cover a projected $2.9 million revenue shortfall in the fiscal year starting Oct. 1, the property tax rate would need to rise by 1.92 mills. That would take the millage rate to 12.258 mills, which would be an increase of 18.4 percent over the current rate of 10.338 mills.

Kissalita asked the board to set a tentative rate so that she could meet the state’s legal requirements for advertising and public hearings prior to adopting the final rate.

“I tell you the budget committee has really, really worked hard, but I think the budget committee is done,” she said. “It is now up in your hands, and we need to make the hard decisions.”

Commissioner Steve Worley, who navigated the budget committee through most of the spending cuts it found over the summer, made the motion to set a tentative rate hike of 1.92 mills. Commissioner Billy Parks, who attended nearly all of the budget committee’s meetings, seconded Worley’s motion.

However, BOC Chairman Danny Yearwood said he didn’t think the BOC was legally required to set a tentative rate increase at this point. He said if the tentative rate changed over the next several weeks, the county would have to start its public process all over again.

Worley, Parks and Commissioner Eva Elder voted to tentatively raise the millage rate by 1.92 mills.

But the other three commissioners – including Larry Joe Wilburn and Isaiah Berry who had served on the budget committee – voted against the rate hike.
Commissioner Ben Hendrix, who did not attend any of the budget committee’s meetings, also voted against the hike.

Yearwood broke the 3-3 tie with a fourth “no” vote.

For the full story, see the Aug. 24 issue of the Barrow Journal.