A yes SPLOST vote keeps taxes unchanged

A yes SPLOST vote keeps taxes unchanged

By extending a 1 cent sales tax, county reaps many benefits

By Frank Bradley

Sentinel writer

Early voting is already underway as to whether or not to extend the 1 cent sales tax for another three years.

The advantages for doing so means better roads, a cleaner lake and better recreational facilities for both the young and old.

At a county commissioner’s meeting last Thursday and a breakfast on Saturday, Commissioner Bill Kendall and 911 mapping director Marty Roberts provided an additional advantage for many Towns County residents–the lowering of their fire insurance coverage.

If this SPLOST vote passes, we’re going to be able to add another 150 fire hydrants, which will bring us up to about 600 total fire hydrants in the county. A situation that puts most homes in the county within 1,000 feet of a fire hydrant, which will almost certainly change the county’s ISO rating from a six to a five,” Kendall said. That with the purchase of a good used ladder truck ought to be enough to change the rating.”

Kendall said homeowners could save hundreds of dollars a year and thousands of dollars over time on lower insurance premiums.

A computer map was available at both events from which individuals could see where both the current are located and where the new ones will be installed. The object was to cover as many houses as they could in areas that have a 6″ water line. The only area that would not be covered was the Hog Creek area where the waterline is a 4″ line instead of a 6″ one. In that instance and in a couple more rather isolated ones, installation of fire hydrants would not help because there would not be enough water pressure.

“This is going to put us in the best shape of any county around here,” Kendall said. He said Union County, which has a much larger area than Towns currently has 600 fire hydrants.

Among the other benefits the county will reap from the steady flow of sales tax revenue will be a $150,000 upgrade of the waste water plant which will help clean up the discharge going into the lake.

Kendall said road repair is going to be extensive this year because the harsher winter weather has broken up many of the county roads of which there are 453 miles the county has to maintain. This doesn’t include the state roads, which the state maintains.

The sales tax revenue will also provide for the construction of new ball fields, walking trails a gym and community room available for family reunions or get-to-gathers. There will also be funds to expand and renovate both the Young Harris and the Hiawassee City libraries.

Kendall said he understands from librarian Donna Howell that according to per capita, the Hiawassee Library is the most used library in the nation. Another advantage of continuing the sales tax is that visitors and tourists will also share in this revenue accumulation for certainly when they are visiting the county, they are enjoying the benefits of better roads and recreational facilities.

Keeping the sales tax at 7cent is also in keeping with surrounding counties which have either a 7 cent or larger one. Also, once the funds are raised to complete the projects provided in the county and city capital budgets, all other revenues from it will go to directly lowering the residents property taxes.

Kendall said,”All in all, I think we’ve got a good balance among the county and cities of Young Harris and Hiawassee.” He said if the SPLOST doesn’t pass there would obviously have to be cuts in many of the planned programs and less road maintenance.

“I know that some governments are threatening to raise property taxes if they don’t get the additional sales tax revenues,” he said. “But if that happens, I am not going raise property taxes. We will just have to live without the public services that we would have with it.”

Early voting will continue on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. And on Tuesdays from 8:30 a.m. until 7 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Regular election day will be Tuesday, March 15 from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.