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September 8, 2010

City trims property tax rate

Charles Oliver charlesoliver@daltoncitizen.com

The Dalton City Council voted 4-0 on Tuesday to cut the city’s property tax rate to 2.875 mills from 2.974 mills.

“This will help us with our plans to make this one of the best places to do business in Georgia,” said Mayor David Pennington. “We started this process about two-and-a-half years ago. We are one of the last and part of a very small handful of cities that assesses property at 100 percent of fair value, not 40 percent. So you really have to multiply our millage rate by 2.5 to compare it to the county or to surrounding cities. When we started, the (total) rate was 33 mills. Now, it’s 31, and we’d like to get it under 30 mills. Obviously, that will take the cooperation of our county government and our city school system.”

Pennington was one of several people who asked the members of the Dalton Board of Education to reconsider their plans to raise their property tax rate to 8.134 mills from 7.845 mills. That move, expected to be approved during a school board meeting on Monday, Sept. 13, at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, is expected to raise another $1 million from city taxpayers.

The Whitfield County Board of Commissioners has not set its 2010 property tax rate yet, but Chairman Mike Babb said Tuesday the board does not expect to raise the county’s rate this year.

The new city of Dalton rate is expected to raise some $8 million, down from $8.5 million in 2009. But Finance Director Cindy Jackson said property tax revenue will be in line with what the city budgeted for this year.

Council members also voted 4-0 to:

• Approve an agreement with the Dalton Housing Authority to buy some uninhabited units just east of the Dalton Community Center for $10. The city plans to tear down those units and add that property to the park land around the community center. They voted 4-0 to approve contracts totaling about $10,000 with Geo-Hydro Engineers to conduct environmental assessments and hazardous materials inspections of the property before the deal is closed.

• Approve $7,000 in matching funds to the Whitfield-Murray Historical Society to paint the exterior of the Blunt House.

• Designate the east side of Easterling Street between East Morris Street and Macon Street as no parking Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Approve beer and liquor pouring licenses for Nathan’s Bar & Grill.

• Approve an amendment to the 2010 budget that, among other things, provides $48,825 to the public works department for a rubbish loader.

• Table a contract with American Consulting Professionals to provide an environmental assessment of a proposed park in the Crown Mill area. Some council members wanted more information on the project.

• Approve a lease of pasture near the Dalton Municipal Airport to Kenneth Robertson, who will keep the property free of weeds and tall grass by grazing cattle there.

Council members also recognized Sept. 17 as Constitution Day. Officials from the Softball Players’ Association presented plaques to the council members and several individuals thanking them for their assistance in putting on the organization’s national championships the past four years. And Patricia Rivers spoke to the council about the history of the Emery Center, where Tuesday’s meeting took place.

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