Taxpayer Bill of Rights

Property Tax Guide For The Georgia Taxpayer

Taxpayer Bill of Rights

(SB 177, Act 431, 1999 Session)

Act 431 was signed April 30, 1999 with a January 1, 2000 effective date.

The bill has two main thrusts:

· prevention of indirect tax increases resulting from increases to existing property values in county due to inflation,

· an enhancement of an individual property owner’s rights when objecting to and appealing an increase made by a county board of tax assessors to the value of the owner’s property.

Douglas County SPLOST Election Results

The votes are in. With 6545 voters voting or 11.52% voter turn out, the final numbers are:

51.29% No

48.71% Yes

That’s 3357 votes against, and 3188 votes for. Thank you for voting.

SPLOST: Douglas County Groups Speak Out

The outcome of Tuesday’s $166 million, 6 year Special Purpose Local Option Sale Tax (SPLOST) and 12 year bond referendum is expected to be determined by 10% or less of Douglas County’s 67,000 registered voters according voting officials.

Advocates on both sides of the issue have made an effort to inform voters from their prospective and encourage voter participation.

SPLOST Pigs, Ponies, Pools and Prisons

The 2007 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax referendum set for September 18 is like putting lip stick and a dress on a pig. Regardless of how much you try to pretty it up, it’s still a pig! I intend to vote “NO”.

Generally, SPLOST can be a viable way to generate needed revenue for needed projects. The key word is “needed”. While a few items qualify, the majority of Douglas County’s SPLOST projects are nothing more than special interest pork barrel spending conjured up to make the Jail project seem more appealing. It’s the sugar on top.

Gold’s Gym Says No to SPLOST

Last week Commission Chairman Tom Worthan fired the scare weapon during his presentation to the local AARP Chapter. (Sentinel, Sep 6^th). From the article, “If the SPLOST fails, property taxes will pay for the jail,”

He’s concerned about the SPLOST failing and he should be. The recent Sentinel straw poll showed the majority of respondents would vote NO to the SPLOST.

SPLOST: Voting Yes = Higher Property Taxes

SPLOST Projects = Higher Taxes

Do you really want to pay higher property taxes?

Do you want to increase government spending?

According to SPLOST experts, that’s exactly what will happen if the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) passes!

Vote “NO” September 18.