The Fayette Citizen-News Page

Wednesday, September 24, 2003

PTC delays tax bill mailing

By J. FRANK LYNCH
jflynch@theCitizenNews.com

Peachtree City officials have pushed back the date for final public hearings on a 12.3 percent tax increase past the start of the new fiscal year.

The delay means thousands of Fayette County property owners won't receive their tax notices until Oct. 10, said Tax Commissioner George Wingo.

Wingo had hoped to have bills in the mailboxes of county taxpayers on Oct. 1, with a due dater 60 days out on Dec. 1.

That would have benefited the biggest recepient of property tax revenue, the school board, which had to borrow $8.5 million this month just to meet the payroll.

Betsy Tyler of the city's Public Information Office said the change was necessary due to conflicts with city council schedules. Originally set for Thursday, the hearings have been postponed to Oct. 2 at 7:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. at City Hall. The .58 mill increase will help fund a $27 million budget in fiscal year 2004, which actually commences Oct. 1.

Wingo said his office received the final paperwork on the school system's official millage rate this week, at 18.869 for operations and 3.825 for capital projects.

The delay by Peachtree City isn't what was planned, but it won't hurt the school board too much, Wingo predicted.

"We'll start collecting almost as soon as we mail the bills, and by the end of October we'll have $25-$30 million," he predicted. "By the end of October we'll be getting them a pretty good wad of money."