By Camie Young
Senior Writer
Gwinnett Daily Post

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

LAWRENCEVILLE - Gwinnett officials want to take their police services countywide, and they are considering raising taxes to do it.

Officials Monday announced a proposed property tax formula that would represent an average increase of 25 percent for homeowners - $180 to $208 for a $200,000 house.

The June 2 vote could defy a tradition of rolling back property taxes for the past 12 years. But officials say the county’s slowed growth and an increasing need for services have caused a need for more money.

“We are undergoing a natural and unavoidable transition from high growth to maturity, and that change holds implications both for services we provide and the way we pay for them,” County Administrator Jock Connell said. “I should add that the current economic situation compounds our challenges but it is not a primary cause.”

County taxes in past years have been divided mostly to the general fund, with a small portion going into a countywide recreation fund and a fund to pay back bonds.

This year, though, officials have created service districts, allotting specific funds for police, emergency medical and fire services.

With their eyes on enforcing police protection in municipalities as well as unincorporated county jurisdiction, officials said the increase will pay for 372 more police officers and 246 new emergency services personnel.

While the county has been locked in a legal battle with city officials hoping to get a break in county taxes for their residents, the new formula would actually mean city residents pay a higher premium for county services.

Deputy County Administrator Mike Comer said revenue sources such as occupation, alcohol and insurance premium taxes only apply to county residents, so county residents deserve a smaller share of the property tax burden to make service financing equitable.

“It’s very difficult for me to comment on the structure of the arrangement,” said Suwanee Mayor Dave Williams, who has led the service delivery negotiations for the cities. “I can’t get my head around what they mean by countywide policing.”

Because the city of Loganville has its own fire department, residents there would pay the EMS and police funds but not the 0.28-mill fire charge.

All other city residents would pay a combined 5.77 mills to the three funds, while county residents would pay 5.33 mills for the services. That is in addition to the 7.05 general fund charge, 0.46 mills for the bond repayment and 1 mill for the recreation fund - an increase from the previous 0.79 mills.

In all, residents in unincorporated Gwinnett would pay an additional 2.87 mills, compared to 2008, while residents in 14 cities would be charged 3.31 mills more and Loganville residents 3.03 mills.

Nine Gwinnett cities have their own police departments, which became a major issue in negotiations for the county’s service delivery strategy and has wound up in court. City officials said their residents should pay a lower county tax because county officials don’t provide police services there, but county officials countered that they do provide some protection, backing off from traffic enforcement and other matters as a courtesy.

“That’s a big question mark in my mind. Our response rate is significantly (better) than the county’s. Why do they want to hire hundreds of officers to provide police in cities that are safer and provide better response times?” Williams said. “The current police service arrangement works well.”

But Chairman Charles Bannister said the county should take countywide jurisdiction in public safety, and county residents would actually get the break because they pay other taxes, such as occupation taxes, to fund the budget.

“We are planning for the future and eliminating some of the criminal elements out of here,” Bannister said. “I think we deserve to give (residents) the best possible police, public safety protection we can moving forward. We can’t, with the revenue we have currently.”

Officials cut about $33 million from the county budget this year and are continuing to work on cost-saving operations, including a “scrubbing” of take-home vehicles. But to create the boost in public safety, and balance the $1.7 billion 2009 budget - which came in $20 million in the red - leaders still needed about $75 million in additional revenue, Finance Director Aaron Bovos said.

Compounding the situation, the county’s tax digest dipped because of the current economic and housing climate. Residential property in Gwinnett dropped about $1.25 billion in fair market value.

Bannister said the issue isn’t about past decisions, including the recently constructed $64 million Gwinnett Braves stadium, but is instead about the county’s future.

Public hearings for the proposed tax increase will be held at 4:30 p.m. and 6:15 p.m. Monday and 10:30 a.m. June 2 at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center in Lawrenceville. Public information forums will begin one hour before each hearing. County commissioners will consider the proposal following the hearing on June 2.

By Patrick Fox
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

For the first time in six years, Gwinnett County residents face a higher tax rate on property, and city residents will be hit hardest.

County officials announced Monday that residents who own a $200,000 home can, on average, expect to pay about $180 to $208 more in county property taxes this year. The increase comes in the wake of a weakened economy and an anticipated $1.6 billion decline in residential property values.

The current millage rate of 10.97 mills will go up by 25 percent — or about 2.87 mills — for residents of unincorporated Gwinnett. Most city residents will be taxed at an additional 3.31 mills.

The county commission will vote to set the rates at its June 2 meeting.

The rate increase comes amid negotiations between the county and its cities to provide equity in services the county provides to municipal residents.

While no agreement has been reached, Monday’s announcement provided the stage for a new initiative in the county’s emergency services. From now on, Gwinnett County will provide police services to all areas of the county, County Administrator Jock Connell said.

City residents will be taxed based on a new rate structure to help segregate funding for municipal and unincorporated emergency services.

The difference in property tax rates, Connell said, is to adjust the cost for services equitably to those who receive them. He said city residents do not pay certain taxes — such as alcohol beverage and occupational — to the county but to their local governments. Because unincorporated residents pay these taxes to the county, it defrays the revenue needed from property owners.

“The county should operate county-wide police protection. The law says so. We say so,” County Commission Chairman Charles Bannister said.

Nine of Gwinnett’s 15 municipalities have their own police forces. Several others contract with the county for special patrols.

Connell said the county’s $1.7 billion budget lays the groundwork for an additional 618 public safety workers over the next five years. Of that number, 372 will be police.

Connell said the 2009 budget represents $33 million in cuts and the elimination of about 120 positions. He said efforts are continuing to make cuts.

The last county tax rate increase was in 2003.

Bannister said the chief motivation behind the expansion in police coverage is public safety, and he’s willing to take responsibility.

“We [the county] get all the credit for the crime and the drug cartels,” he said.

Three information forums and public hearings on the tax rate will be at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center in Lawrenceville. Dates and times are: 3:30 and 5:30 p.m. May 26; and 9:30 a.m. June 2.