HART COUNTY PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION
SUMMARY - SEPT 19, 2022
The meeting was called to order by Mike Buckle in Bill Fogerty’s absence.
Those in attendance were reminded how hard the Property Owners had been working for the past several years to get the seniors a property tax break from the School System. A $5,000 increase in your homestead deduction will be on the November ballot. It is not all we want but, it is a start. Vote YES on this ballot initiative. Early voting starts October 17, the same day as our next meeting. Deadline for registration is October 11.
On the subject of the school system the report on the ‘21/’22 school year has been published. In spite of the ever-increasing tax burden our schools are not doing well academically. As a system, Hart County is ranked 88 of 198 school systems in Georgia. Up 19 places from last year and out of the lower half. Our best ranked school is the South Hart Elementary School at 359 of 1244 elementary schools in the state. Up 154 places from last year, which is also our most improved school. Our worst school is Hartwell Elementary at 754 of 1244 elementary schools in Georgia.
A clarification was presented for those that have filed an appeal of your property assessment. If you show up for your hearing and present any kind of reasonable story your appraisal cannot be raised for the next two years. It can be lowered if a recession comes upon us. So, don’t go in and say, “My taxes/appraisal is too high.” Have a reasonable story. Even if you lose and don’t get a reduction you will still get the current appraisal frozen for the next two years. Check Georgia Code Section 45-5-299.
Parks White, our District Attorney, spoke on crime issues. There was just recently a $7m drug bust in Canon, GA. Drugs were being transported dissolved in diesel fuel. All the equipment was in operation to recover the drugs from the fuel. He also got a conviction of a double murderer that received two consecutive life sentences. He pointed out that we in Hart County have two of the three Superior Court judges that seem to be soft on crime. And the one of them seems to offer probation to most convicted females rather than jail time. The judges seem to focus on probation rather than jail time.
Our speaker next month will be Brian Fleming presenting the types of farms in the Hart County area, and the values they bring to the County. Brian won the 2022 Georgia Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Excellence in Agriculture Award.
Pretty good write ups.