Hall County cuts levy to $397.75 to avoid joint public hearing

The Hall County Board of Commissioners voted to set the county levy at $397.75 on Tuesday, a reduction commissioners said would keep the county below the threshold that triggers a joint public hearing (the so-called "pink postcard"). Chair opened the special budget meeting to review newly certified valuation numbers and heard from Kayla, a member of county budget staff, who said the new growth percentage is 3.331% and that change pushed the county $193,916.04 over the public-hearing threshold.

Kayla, budget staff, told the board the total taxable value did not change but the growth figure did, and that "the dollar amount that you're over is $193,916.04." Commissioners debated options and a motion was made to set the levy at $397.75 while taking $100,000 out of miscellaneous general; another commissioner seconded. Marla, who called the roll, announced "6 yes votes. Motion carries." The board therefore adopted the levy change to avoid the notice requirement and flagged that doing so increases the county's future lost authority (staff estimated the county would forgo about $729,926.02 in ongoing authority under one scenario).

The board's action was described as a pragmatic step to act on the certified values currently available. Kayla cautioned that the revised growth number also affects authority calculations used by the city and schools and that if certified values change later the county would need to document its decision-making with the state. The board asked Christie to provide a short, itemized list of the top contributors to the growth calculation so members could review major items before any further adjustments.