Planned property tax increase
By Kathleen McKevitt

Ten of the 22,000 residents of Union County attended an information meeting at the Union County Board of Education in Blairsville this week, where the board provided data on their reasons for a planned property tax increase of 36.87 percent. This increase is not the same as the recent increased property assessment notices received by all residents owning property within the county, but is an increase beyond that assessment increase.

The meeting was held on December 6 at 11:30 a.m. at the Union County Board of Education. Another meeting was also held December 6 at 6:30 p.m. (after the Union Sentinel had gone to press). One final meeting will be held December 13 at 12:00 p.m.

"I hate to do this," said Union County School Superintendent Tommy Stephens in his opening remarks, acknowledging that he understands what raising taxes does to families. "But next year in the high school alone we are required to have 90 of our special education pupils in class 80 percent of the day, and we are hiring nine new teachers. Adding new personnel will be a cost of around one million dollars alone."

The Board is budgeting for a $4,027,281 increase in 2007. "The only way we can get this amount quickly is to assess the tax [of 36.87 percent.] This is the fastest way to get the money," said Stephens. He went on to say that there is an increase in insurance costs of $300,000, and a pay raise for teachers. "Energy increase is stated at $126,000.00, and then the State Austerity reductions amount to $1,000,000." State Austerity costs are now called formula adjustments and come from the state to the counties. "We have to replace the austerity cuts with your money".

Stephens also detailed the cost of utilities. "This year we had a $60,000 electric bill and a $10,000 water bill each month," he said. There were pleas to cut the requirement, and to look into other possibilities for raising the money, to take the burden off the property owners. One woman in the audience stated, "You're taxing us out of our homes."

When asked if there might be other ways to achieve the money, Stephens said that the Board is looking at policies to try to save as well as to decrease energy costs. But Stephens said, "The bottom line is that we need $4,000,000 quickly."

If the proposal stands, a 36.87 percent increase in property taxes will reflect on all Union County tax bills in January of 2007.