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County to nix double taxation
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The numbers may not be dramatically different, but when the Liberty County Commissioners set the tax millage they will be working to eliminate double taxation for the first time.
Because Liberty County and the city of Hinesville both collect property tax from their citizens and they both fund some projects like MidCoast Regional Airport at Wright Army Airfield, Diversity Health Center and Family Connections, Hinesville taxpayers have been paying twice for the same service.
After discussions over several years, city and county officials came to an agreement this year to begin eliminating the double taxation. This year, for the first time, the commissioners will set three millage rates, although two of the figures are actually the same.
For the unincorporated area of Liberty County, a rate of 12.684 mills is planned. The same millage is proposed for what officials call the “incorporated combined other” area. This is the six cities in the county who do not levy property taxes: Allenhurst, Flemington, Walthourville, Gum Branch, Riceboro and Midway.
The county millage rate for taxpayers inside Hinesville is expected to be set at 11.646 mills. This does not include the separate city of Hinesville tax set by the city council for city-only services.
The commissioners held public hearings on the new tax rates Monday at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. They will have a final hearing for public comments and questions Nov. 26 at 6 p.m. and plan a 6:30 p.m. session to adopt the resolution setting the countywide millage to include the school board, the development authority and the hospital authority.
The board of education has set its millage request at 15.60, down from 16.
The development authority will hold the last of three hearings along with the commissioners Nov. 26. It intends to ask for 2 mills. The hospital authority has voted to ask for 4 mills, up from 1.917.
One mill is one dollar tax per $1,000. One mill of tax levied in Liberty County on the current digest brings in about $1.090.000.
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