Gov. Sonny Perdue’s plan to cut $428 million from the state budget would cost Jackson County’s governments — or their taxpayers — more than $2.8 million.
Perdue has proposed eliminating the Homeowners Tax Relief Grant, a program started by former Gov. Roy Barnes to provide some relief for local property taxes. The program provides homeowners with an $8,000 homestead exemption on their property taxes.
The program provided for cities, counties, school boards and other entities levying property taxes to reduce their levies, with the state reimbursing them.
In Jackson County, the total credit to local taxpayers last year amounted to $2,846,115, according to figures provided by Tax Commissioner Don Elrod and Jackson County Finance Director John Hulsey.
Elimination of the credit/grant would help trim almost a quarter of the $1.6 billion Perdue hopes to cut from the state budget. He’s also announced a six-percent budget cut in most state agencies, and school boards have been advised to expect a two-percent cut for this school year and an additional three-percent for the following year.
If the credit is eliminated, school systems would be hit hard. The Jackson County Board of Education would have to absorb $1.4 million, the Commerce Board of Education $134,824 and the Jefferson School System $170,074 — on top of the other cuts being proposed by Perdue. The board of commissioners would have to cut more than $907,000.
For the complete story, read the Aug. 20 edition of The Commerce News.
