Wednesday, August 8, 2001
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Wednesday, August 8, 2001 |
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Hearing scheduled in tax equity case By DAVE
HAMRICK
A hearing is scheduled for Sept. 25 at 1:30 p.m. in Fayette Superior Court in the tax equity dispute between Fayette County and its cities. Senior Judge Stephen E. Boswell of Jonesboro, assigned to the case last month after Fayette Judge Ben Miller recused himself, will hear the case. County attorneys will argue for dismissal of the request for mandatory mediation from Peachtree City, Fayetteville and Tyrone. If their motion to dismiss is denied, Boswell will appoint a mediator to seek an arbitration of the dispute. Leaders in the three cities claim that their residents are paying more in taxes to Fayette County than they receive in services. County leaders say if anything, the opposite is true. Under recent state law, counties and cities are required to develop joint strategies for delivery of service to avoid double taxation and reduce the cost of government, and the statute also provides for mandatory mediation when counties and cities can't agree. But county leaders argue that Fayette and its cities already approved a joint service delivery strategy almost two years ago, and mediation of the tax dispute should come only after that agreement expires. That will be in about a year.
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