Long County OKs 18.707 millage rate after public hearing as residents demand financial transparency
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Summary
After a public hearing in which residents raised concerns about budgeting and development, the Long County Board of Commissioners approved an 18.707 millage rate on Sept. 6 by a 4-1 vote, with Commissioner Jeremy Hall opposed.
The Long County Board of Commissioners approved a property tax millage rate of 18.707 at its Sept. 6 meeting after a public hearing in which multiple residents raised concerns about the county's budget figures and financial transparency.
During the 9:00 a.m. public hearing, residents said the millage was proposed without adequate explanation. Robert Kitchings told the board the "budgetary figures" appeared incorrect and said the millage was being set on what he described as an incorrect fiscal-year basis. William Michaels said he moved to Long County to avoid a "big city" approach to development and asked why any tax increase could not have been phased in more gradually. Other commenters urged the creation of a financial committee, more frequent public reporting and a temporary halt to some building permits.
Commissioner Gerald Blocker moved to set the millage rate at 18.707; Commissioner John Reddish seconded the motion. Commissioner Jeremy Hall recorded the lone opposition and the motion passed 4-1. Commissioner Reddish said the board had "looked at this from every angle possible."
Public commenters also raised specific claims about county finances. Eric Proper told the board he believed the change represented a roughly "27 percent increase" and said salary raises and contingency-fund uses should be reviewed; the transcript does not provide supporting calculations or a county staff breakdown for that figure. Lisa Ruise said four commissioners had asked the county clerk to forfeit their salaries; that was reported as a comment during public input and not recorded in the meeting minutes as a formal board action.
The meeting record shows a range of resident requests — from road repairs and speed control in subdivisions to questions about sanitation service fees and two-signature check requirements — but it does not specify dollar amounts for the county's debt or the precise revenue impact of the millage change. Those figures were not provided in the transcript.
The motion passed and the board recorded the action in its Sept. 6 minutes; the minutes note later adoption language in the record.