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Lucas C. Allison

Dispatch Correspondent

 

The Wilcox Board of Commissioners held a Special Called meeting on January 23, 2024. In attendance were Chairman Jamie Handley, Vice Chairman Clay Reid, Commissioners Mel Powell, Jowan Johnson and Kearney Haire and County Manager Michael Pomirko.

There was one item on the agenda it was to make a decision on how to move forward or opt out of the Constitutional Amendment HB 581 which provided for a limit on property tax assessment in the county.  A provision of the bill was that government entities had only until March 1, 2225, to decide whether to opt out of the provision or implement it.  If an entity chooses to opt out of the provision, they are required to hold three public hearings with one being held in the evening.

Mr. Pomirko provided the commissioners with a detailed explanation of the provisions of HB581 as provided by County Attorney Toni Sawyer.  The purpose of HB581 is to limit  property assessment values to no more than three percent.  To offset the assessment the county would be allowed to ask voters to approve a one cent Floating Local Option Sales Tax(FLOST) to try and offset the funds lost from reduced assessments. The FLOST would mean everyone pays that tax, not just property owners.  Everyone who purchases anything from the county will be paying the FLOST.  In Wilcox County HB581  was voted on by 3154 of 4572 registered voters or 73.45 percent of the voters with 1900 voting yes and  1254 voting no.  After much discussion on the matter Chairman Handley stated he’s all for swapping property taxes for sales taxes and that the voters approved the measure, and he felt the county should move forward with implementation of  HB 581.  An election would be held in November 2025, to allow voters to cast their ballots for or against the one percent FLOST, which would begin collecting in January 2026. Mr. Pomirko stated it could be 2028 before the true benefit of HB581 would be realized.

On a motion by Vice Chairman Reid seconded by Commissioner Johnson the county commissioners voted to move forward with implementation of HB581 in accordance with the voters of Wilcox County on November 5, 2024.  The meeting was then adjourned.  The Wilcox Board of Commissioners meets the first Tuesday of each month at 6:30PM, in the commissioner’s office located in the courthouse in Abbeville.  The public may obtain copies of the minutes of the meetings and agenda at wilcoxcountygeorgia.com.