Wednesday, November 15, 2000
|
Wednesday, November 15, 2000 |
|
Lenox 'appalled' by county's 'final answer' on tax equity
By DAVE HAMRICK
Fayette County's declaration that it has given its final answer to the tax inequity question is not the last word, says Peachtree City Mayor Bob Lenox. "Frankly I'm a little bit appalled by it," Lenox said Tuesday. "We've consistently asked them to sit down with us and talk about it, and they have just as consistently declined to do so." The discussion is "not over," says Lenox. Stopping short of predicting that the matter will have to be settled in court, Lenox said the option of a lawsuit is under consideration. "I'm afraid it's one of those subjects that must be talked about," he said. Lenox's comments were in response to the County Commission's decision last week to send a letter to all the city governments declaring the tax equity matter closed. Talk of tax inequity first came up two years ago, when Tyrone Town Councilman Ronnie Cannon stated during a council meeting that he felt the town's residents were shortchanged about $400,000, paying that much more in taxes than could be accounted for in services. A new state law requiring that cities and counties cooperate to eliminate duplication of services and increase efficiency put the discussion on the front burner. Early this year, the county and cities agreed to hire a consultant to settle the matter. Consultants Government Solutions Ltd. issued a report saying that tax inequity does exist, and suggesting the county increase services in some areas, set up special tax districts or refund taxes to city residents. In a series of letters back and forth that followed that report, the discussion has gone from friendly to hostile. County and city leaders have reworked figures numerous times, with county finance director Emory McHugh's latest analysis stating that no tax inequity exists because the cities receive a higher than proportionate share of local option sales taxes, counterbalancing any inequity in the other direction. Commissioners' vote last week declares that the final answer. But Lenox pointed out that city residents also pay higher taxes to the county than residents of unincorporated areas do. "I find it unfathomable that a resident in the county pays less in taxes than a resident of the city, when we get little or nothing out of the county in the way of recreation, public safety, public works..." he said. City leaders will talk among themselves and decide what to do next, he added. "We're all fairly adamant about coming to a resolution," he said.
|
||