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DEL.ICIO.USYou’d be surprised how many family fights are all about money
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Here’s your choice: Less money for schools or property taxes. Or, perhaps, both.
The implications of the $1.6 billion shortfall — some years ago, Sonny Perdue would have called this a deficit, but that was then — are slowly working their way down to the grassroots.
Right now, the governor has recommended a 6 percent overall cut in the current budget — 2 percent for schools and 5 percent for Medicaid.
That includes the elimination of a property tax break for homeowners, which House Republican leaders have vowed to preserve.
Here’s the take in the LaGrange Daily News:
Most homeowners in Troup County would have to pay an extra $237.28 under Gov. Sonny Perdue’s plan to withhold a $428 million tax relief grant.
Perdue announced the cut Friday to deal with a projected $1.6 billion revenue shortfall.
The annual grant program provides an $8,000 homestead exemption, which amounts to $237.28 for most of Troup’s 12,000 taxpayers, Tax Commissioner Gary Wood said Tuesday.
Here’s the question: Would preserving the property tax break force deeper cuts in the state’s education budget? And would that force local school boards to increase property taxes?
Comments
By Clarence
August 8, 2008 8:48 AM | Link to this
That’s not much of a question: Yes. Preserving the property tax break would force deeper cuts in the state’s education budget. And Yes, that would force many schools to increase property taxes, just as they have since the Governor started cutting the education budget.
By Billy Hiltoin
August 8, 2008 10:13 AM | Link to this
That would “force” schools to increase taxes??? I feel like I’m reading news from a parallel universe!! Why don’t local governments have to live up to the same standards of cutting services and “trimming the fat” that we demand of the state government? Yes, that means education too. Now, before you try to get me all choked up about the poor kids that will be deprived….remember….I am very good friends with an assistant school superintendent in my county. He has taken about five trips this year to “conferences”….let’s see….Miami, Boston, San Diego, Memphis and somewhere else. He has even admitted to me that they end up being about 30% work and 70% play. How bout starting there with some cuts?!?! The government doesn’t subsidize my vacations! Oh, by the way, he also took his wife on the Miami trip using sky miles that he “earned” from his other taxpayer funded trips! But, they will be “forced” to raise taxes….good grief!
By S. Dekalb Voter
August 8, 2008 10:25 AM | Link to this
Wow! You gotta love the coverage of the AJC. The City of Atlanta has a “fiscal crisis” and the State of Georgie has a “budget shortfall”. The city is laying off employees and people are calling for Shirley’s head on a platter. The state is talking about cutting the school budget by 2% of an already failing school system, and Perdue gets a pass. You gotta love the South!
By Aaron Burr V. Mexico
August 8, 2008 10:50 AM | Link to this
The same standards we demand of State Government?
What planet do you live on? Our State government has been more concerned about things like the @#$@#$ State Flag or every other ‘stupid issue of the year’ than the basic issues.
By Taxpayer
August 8, 2008 11:12 AM | Link to this
My property taxes have increased every year since moving into our North Georgia home in 2004. For the years through 2007, the county “leaders” proudly proclaimed that they managed once again to balance the budget without raising taxes even though the budget had increased by yet another million dollars. Do the math. Yes, taxes had to increase in order for our government to spend more. This year, with the severe economic downturn, job losses everywhere except in government, fuel prices, home foreclosures, etc., courtesy of the ruling Republican party, our local government “leaders” finally had to break down and state that a millage rate hike would be needed to balance the county budget — a budget that once again has increased by another million dollars over the previous year. These so-called leaders and devout members of the Republican party, ever since moving from the Democrat party in order to remain in the majority party, have publicly expressed how awful they feel and about how hard it was to twist their arms and agree to raise property taxes but they had NO OTHER CHOICE. They had to come up with the money to pay for all the miles that the government employees must log in on their government vehicles and most importantly they had to give every government employee a raise and they had to cover the 12% increase in health care insurance costs for government employees. Of course, this is in a county where you are considered one of the county’s elite if you even have health insurance. You really have to feel for those poor destitute government employees — having good paying jobs and health insurance and all. By the way, don’t even get me started on the good old boy Republican because they used to be Democrats but changed to stay in the majority party types like Perdue, Chambliss, Deal, etc. I can’t afford any more of these small government, compassionate unless you cross me Republicans.
By Betty Boop
August 8, 2008 1:00 PM | Link to this
Is it silly season again? Our famous Georgia Legislature is going to hold out for property tax relief (the most going to those who own the most property, the most expensive property, etc.) and Ole Chicken Hips wants to cut schools and medicaid (cut our kids education and the health care of the poorest segment of our population).
Budget shortfall, my hind foot. Chicken Hips, like Nero, fiddled while Georgia burned. Our economy was tanking last session and Chicken Lips, Chicken Hips and the rest of Repugnican legislature was more concerned with the right of every redneck to carry his gun to church, to the local bar and the airport.
Now, they want to make up a growing deficit on the backs of your kids and the poor. Beats me how this logic works.
Standup and tell the Chicken boys that they are responsible for this mess and they can cut their own salaries, leave off the pork and let our kids and the poor alone.