Cobb Commission to Set Millage Rate

Commissioner Bob Ott says he'll vote against maintaining the rate of 11.11 mills because it preserves a 2011 increase.

The Cobb Board of Commissioners will set the property tax millage rate for fiscal year 2013 at tonight's business meeting.  The FY 2012 rate of 11.11 mills is being proposed for an extension. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. in the Board of Commissioners meeting room on the 3rd floor of 100 Cherokee Street in Marietta. District 2 Commissioner Bob Ott, who represents East Cobb and Smyrna-Vinings, told The Marietta Daily Journal he will vote against maintaining the same rate because it preserves last year's millage rate increase. He and District 3 (Northeast Cobb) Commissioner JoAnn Birrell voted against the millage hike, which passed on a 3-2 vote.  Also tonight, the commissioners will take up a measure approved Thursday by the Cobb Board of …

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Vote Tuesday on Budget With Tax Increase

The county raised the rate from 9.6 mills to 11.11 mills for the year that ends Sept. 30.

The Cobb County Board of Commissioners is set to vote Tuesday on the 2012 budget, which includes a tax increase to make up a possible $33 million deficit. The county raised the rate from 9.6 mills to 11.11 mills for the year that ends Sept. 30. Tax bills went out in mid-August. On a $140,000 to $160,000 house, the increase averages $82.67 more per year. On a $190,000 to $210,000 home, the increase averages $111.66 per year. Property taxes make up 58 percent of the county's general fund. With the tax increase, the county is now able to fill some public safety positions that were frozen, said Jim Pehrson, finance director. "It gives us some breathing room," Pehrson said. The total proposed budget for next year is $723 million. The adopted …

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Commissioners Look at 2012 Budget

Chairman Tim Lee said Friday that the county's 2012 budget will be about $8 million less than the $317 million 2011 budget.

The Cobb County commissioners will get a first look at the 2012 budget during a work session Tuesday afternoon.  Chairman Tim Lee said Friday that the county's 2012 budget will be about $8 million less than the $317 million 2011 budget, the Marietta Daily Journal is reporting. Lee also told the MDJ he does not expect any layoffs or furloughs of the county's 4,200 employees in the new budget year. Since May 1, county employees have been forced to take five unpaid days off to help balance the current year's budget. The Cobb County Board of Commissioners voted 3-2 last month in favor of raising taxes to make up a possible $33 million deficit in the 2012 fiscal year. Commissioners Bob Ott and JoAnn Birrell voted against the proposal. The …

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2011 'Year of the Tax' for Cobb

First, there was the renewal of SPLOST, and next down the pipes is a millage rate increase.

If we were on the Chinese calendar, 2011 might be called the “Year of the Tax.”  The year began with an opportunity to reduce our sales tax by nearly 17 percent, but instead we chose—by a 90-vote margin—to continue the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, ostensibly for “low taxes and no debt.”  The 1-percent SPLOST was touted as a vehicle that would make our community more livable and more attractive to businesses. We were told that if the SPLOST didn’t pass, senior centers would be closed, library hours would be shortened, services would be cut, property taxes would go up and blah, blah, blah.  Well, it passed, and despite its passage, senior centers have been closed, library hours have been shortened, services have been cut and, as I…

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Millage Rate Increase Affects Residential, Business, Motor Vehicles

The cost of living and doing business will rise to support the services offered in Cobb County.

The Cobb Board of Commissioners voted 3-2 Tuesday to approve a property tax increase that will go into effect for tax bills due in October. The measure increases Cobb’s millage rate from 9.6 to 11.11 mills, a 15.7 percent increase. Residents were given the example of a $105 increase per $200,000 in home value, but Stefani Balli, administrative coordinator for county Finance Director Jim Pehrson, told Northeast Cobb Patch that the millage rate increase affects all classes of property, including: In addition to residential property taxes, the taxes on motor vehicles and construction equipment will increase. The cost of doing business in Cobb will increase, and business owners could pass the added expense on to consumers. Northeast Cobb …

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Dog Park Chronicles

What Do You Think of the Millage Rate Hike?

Northeast Cobb residents give their opinion about the property tax increase.

The Cobb County Board of Commissioners voted Tuesday to raise the millage rate from a total of 9.6 mills to 11.11 mills for the year that ends Sept. 30. Tax bills start going out Aug. 15. Before the Tuesday night vote, residents who were eager to give their opinions concerning the tax hike did so at the most peaceful and enjoyable place for pets and families: Sweat Mountain Dog Park.  Northeast Cobb resident Randy Hancock is in favor the tax hike. "The county is in a huge deficit from what I understand and I know they had at least two town hall meetings about the issue. I am for the tax increase, because I am afraid that parks and recreational services will suffer and may no longer be offered here," he said. Hancock is a regular visitor to…

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Cobb Schools Maintain Millage Rate

After a 4-2 vote, the Board of Education will use excess SPLOST II funds to keep a rate of 18.9 mills in a budget based on 20 mills.

The Cobb County Board of Education voted 4-2 this afternoon to raise its property tax rate to 20 mills, then used $22.2 million from excess SPLOST II funds to roll back the millage rate to the current 18.9 mills. Vice Chairman Scott Sweeney of East Cobb’s Post 6, Lynnda Crowder-Eagle of West Cobb’s Post 1, David Morgan of South Cobb’s Post 3, and David Banks of Northeast and East Cobb’s Post 5 voted for the millage rate during the special meeting. Chairwoman Alison Bartlett of Post 7, located south and west of Marietta, and Kathleen Angelucci of North Cobb’s Post 4 voted against it. Tim Stultz of Smyrna’s Post 2 did not attend the 14-minute meeting but previously voted with Bartlett and Angelucci against the fiscal 2012 budget and the …

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Northeast Cobb High Five

Tween Improv, Adult Tax Drama

Here's what you need to know to start July 26 in Northeast Cobb.

1. Today will be a typically muggy summer day, according to the National Weather Service. The high will be about 91, with little wind and a 20 percent chance of rain. The overnight low will be around 71.  2. The Mountain View Regional Library’s summer tweens program for children ages 9 to 12 continues from 3:30 to 5 this afternoon with an improv class. Kids can register in advance; walk-ins are welcome if the pre-registration list doesn’t fill the 20 spaces available. Call 770-509-2725 for more information. 3. The Cobb County Board of Commissioners will meet at 7 p.m. at 100 Cherokee St. for the third and final public hearing on the millage rate, then hold a regular meeting that will include a vote on the property tax rate. Commissioner …

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Cobb Millage Debate over Life Quality

After both sides made passionate pleas about the proposed tax increase Tuesday morning, the county commissioners returned for a second round.

The Cobb County Board of Commissioners is holding the second of three hearings on the proposed millage rate increase today at 6 p.m. at 100 Cherokee St. During the first hearing this morning, speakers were closely divided on whether to raise the rate from a total of 9.6 mills to 11.21 mills for the fiscal year that ends Sept. 30. That change would add an average of $111.66 to the county tax bill for homes worth $190,000 to $210,000. People on both sides said Cobb's quality of life is at stake. We're covering the hearing live on Twitter at SouthCobbPatch and collecting the tweets here for further comment. Most of the dozens of speakers at Tuesday night's second hearing on the proposed millage rate increase in Cobb County took one of two …

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Pam J

5:27 pm on Monday, August 8, 2011

Well, I guess we are all paying for things we "bought" during the good times. People who bought houses because they got talked into adjustable rate mortgages, nice cars to keep up with everybody, and the county buying golf courses and the Mable House Amphitheater. At the time, it all seemed reasonable. Unfortunately we are in a really bad economic period right now and all of the spending is …   more ›