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Parks. Libraries.
Roads. Fire Departments. Jail. Government Buildings. Sheriff's Office.
Court System. Senior Services. Schools, etc. etc. All these support our
quality of life here in Cherokee County. Bricks and mortar, asphalt
and dirt, judges, deputies, firemen, zoning clerks, tax assessors. But
how DO we pay for these salaries and infrastructure??
First of all, we build it or buy it.
CAPITAL EXPENDITURES. In our county,
these major expenditures are funded with SPLOST (sales tax) revenues.
In the last ten years, SPLOST programs have given us the Justice Center,
the South Annex complex, five Community Centers, and major road work,
including those roads around Canton's Riverstone Mall, and the Rope Mill
Connector. The cities have received about 18% of all SPLOST receipts,
to provide them with capital funding for roads and public projects. The
current SPLOST will give us a new jail and public safety headquarters,
an animal shelter, $2 million toward library expansions, $5 million for
parks, $5 million for greenspace, $3 million for new fire stations/community
centers, $15 million for the cities, and more road widenings, intersection
improvements, etc. A sales tax program like SPLOST taxes consumers, so
it slightly shifts the tax burden off the elderly (who make fewer major
purchases), and also charges tax to buyers who live outside our county.
The 2001 SPLOST revenues totaled $21,513,699. As of May 2000, Cherokee
County added Impact Fee revenue to the funding base. In the first two
years, new residences and businesses have contributed over $6 million
to our coffers, leveraging the SPLOST funds for county projects.
OPERATING EXPENDITURES. Second, after
we acquire these assets, we need to use them — paying for maintenance,
utilities, salaries and benefits. The County's millage rate in 2001 was
5.5 for General Fund and 2.465 for the Fire District Fund, for a total
of 7.965 mils. The 2001 operating expenditures of $44,756,217 was equivalent
to 12.58 mils. That is, if Cherokee County used property taxes exclusively
to generate income to cover our operating expenses, our millage rate would
be 12.58 mils, not the 7.965 that it really is! We collect the balance
of the revenue (worth 4.615 mils) in the form of fees, commissions, grants,
fines, interest, licenses and permits.
LOW TAXES. Back to the capital expenditures!
In terms of the 2001 millage rate, the annual SPLOST revenues generate
revenue equal to 6.04 mils, and the Impact Fee program generates funds
worth .86 mils. So, our annual funding for one year is equivalent to 19.48
mils (12.58 (operating) + 6.04 (SPLOST) + .86 (Impact Fees)). These numbers
show that, without SPLOST and Impact Fees, your property taxes would be
12.58 mils higher than we currently pay. Said another way, almost 60%
of the county's funding comes, not from property owners, but from one-time
incoming development, consumers, and users of specific county services.
That's how we keep your taxes low!
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August has arrived
and unlike the lazy, hazy days portrayed in countless poems and pictures,
August in the Cherokee County school system is hectic, hopping, and busy!
Just look at all that is happening this month.
August 1 - School Board meeting at 7 p.m.
and the final vote on the 2002 - 03 budget.
August 5 - Welcome back teachers and staff!
I hope your summer was both restful and productive. I know many of you
took staff development and college courses to bring back to your schools
the latest in teaching techniques and technological advances. Best wishes
for a successful and happy new school year!
August 9 and 10 - The second of the "Sales
Tax Free" weekends. Buy your school supplies and new clothes without paying
sales tax.
August 12 - The First Day of School! Exciting
- sure, especially for our newest school, Liberty Elementary.
August 20 - NO SCHOOL. What? Why? Is there
really a teacher workday on the 7th day of school? Yes, a difficult decision
but important for the safety of our students since August 20 is ELECTION
DAY. Please remember to vote! Cherokee County has many very important
elections that will be decided on August 20 such as:
- County Commission Chairman
- Two County Commissioners
- Two School Board Seats
- Five House of Representative Seats
- Three State Senate Seats
- U.S. Congressman
- Lt. Governor and Governor
and that's just the start. It is vitally
important that you let your voice be heard. Each of the aforementioned
offices work with the school board and the school system closely and we
need people who are open to work with us and have shown a commitment to
our schools through service at local schools or on one of the superintendent's
committees. We have a national race and a statewide race that Cherokee
County citizens are seeking. Steve Stancil is a candidate for Lt. Governor.
Steve has been a long time friend to our schools and has worked closely
with our board for many years. Bob Barr, our 7th District Congressman,
has fought for teacher tax-cuts and tax breaks for homeschooling families.
In addition, we will be breaking ground on
two new middle schools and a new elementary school. The superintendent
will be forming a new Blue Ribbon Committee for our new vocational/technical
education program. And we will continue to work hard to meet our system
priorities and make Cherokee County schools the best in the state!
So have a great year! I look forward to hearing
from you and sharing with you all the wonderful events happening in the
Cherokee County school system.
P.S. — I would like to publicly thank
my friend and my mentor, Becky Babcock, for her years of hard work and
dedication to the school system as a school board member. While I wish
her all the luck in her quest to be our next Representative to the Georgia
House of Representatives (see, I told you it was important to vote!),
she will be sorely missed.
Thank you, Becky, for all you do!
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