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County vote on liquor coming in February
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Patrick Donahue
Editor
Updated: Jan 1, 2008, 10:02 AM
Published: Dec 6, 2007, 7:30 PM

Voters in Effingham County may be able to decide in February whether they want liquor by the drink sold in restaurants.

A special referendum will be held to coincide with the Feb. 5 presidential preference primary. Because absentee ballots must be made available 45 days before the polls open, the push to get the referendum ready has been under way for some time.

“Everyone made it a real special effort to get it on February’s ballot,” said Charlie Kea of the Community Progress Council of Effingham, a group that is advocating full-service restaurants in the community.

At their Nov. 20 meeting, county commissioners approved putting a referendum on the ballot. But just when that would happen — February’s presidential primary or November’s general election — was left to the CPCE.

Kea said the group had been working with the elections board to get the referendum ready before the commissioners’ vote so they could move faster if it was approved.

Now the CPCE hopes all that legwork gives Effingham a leg up in getting full-service restaurants.

“It just changes the whole scheme of things,” Kea said. “I think it increases the chances of getting something up here tremendously.”

Proponents of full-service restaurants are worried that if action doesn’t happen fast enough, those franchises and companies will instead target the intersection of Highway 21 and I-95.

“Once they go in at 95, they won’t put another one in for 15 miles or 15 minutes (of driving time),” Kea said. “We actually have more rooftops, and that gives us an edge. It’s important we get looked at real hard.”

The CPCE will bring a similar request to the Rincon City Council at its meeting Monday. Kea is hoping the Rincon council will approve putting a referendum on the ballot, but if not, the group has been working on a petition.

“It eliminates a lot of knocking on doors and the effort our volunteers have spent on it if they approve it,” he said.

“But if not, we will continue with our petition drive.”

The group is close to getting 1,400 signatures, which according to Kea is the magic number to get the elections board to put the referendum on the ballot without council approval. The signatures must be from registered voters who voted in the last general election, he said.

A conversation with someone who was involved in the push for liquor by the drink sales in restaurants in Statesboro heartened Kea.

“They said, ‘You do not realize how important these restaurants are for the area,’” Kea said. “‘You don’t believe how they reduce taxes.’” 
Effingham Schools Approve Property Tax Rate Increase
School Property Tax Rate Increase
Comparison of the property tax impact for Effingham County homeowners under the approved millage rate increase, showing the difference from fiscal year 2025 to 2026.
Updated: Sep 19, 2025, 12:52 AM
Published: Sep 19, 2025, 12:53 AM

SPRINGFIELD, Ga. — The Effingham County Board of Education unanimously approved raising the property tax rate from 16.5 to 18.45 mills. For a homeowner with a $350,000 property, that’s about $22 more per month. The vote was 5-0.

Why the Increase is Needed
District officials said the adjustment is necessary to cover rising costs and remain competitive in attracting and retaining teachers and staff. More than 87% of the district’s budget goes to salaries and benefits for employees ranging from classroom teachers to bus drivers, nurses, counselors, paraprofessionals, and administrators.

Most of the increase is tied to an $8 million spike in required contributions to state benefit plans.

The state’s health and retirement benefits for certified employees — teachers — are going up 7% in 2026, finance director Lauren Cain, said. Benefits for non-certified employees — staff — are rising 36%. That’s a total of $8 million more in health and retirement benefits the district will have to cover.

Although the state is increasing funding to Effingham schools by $4 million, it will cover only about half the benefits hike, she said.

As of July 1, premiums for the State Health Benefit Plan (SHBP) have nearly doubled since FY2023, jumping from $945 to $1,885 per month per employee. In addition, the district’s contribution rate to the Teachers Retirement System (TRS) has increased from 20.78% to 21.91%.  

To help offset those rising costs, the district voted to raise the millage rate.

Millage Rate

Balancing Costs & Education
Superintendent Yancy Ford previously called the increase “an investment in every child’s future.” He said, “Smaller class sizes, highly qualified teachers, and strong support staff are all proven to raise student achievement. This millage rate increase allows us to continue building on our successes and to make sure every child in Effingham County has the opportunity to reach their fullest potential.”

Ford also acknowledged the strain on taxpayers. “We don’t want to put the taxpayers in this position next year,” he said. He promised to “dissect the budget” and search for ways to “lower costs” while still doing what’s best for students. “We know people are feeling it,” he added.

Fiscal Accountability & Academic Record
While the millage rate itself rises about 11.5%, higher property values mean overall revenue collections will increase nearly 26%. School leaders say the additional funds will help preserve Effingham’s strong academic record, which includes a 90.7% graduation rate, above-average reading scores in elementary grades, and SAT results that top both state and national averages.

Ford  emphasized accountability in managing taxpayer funds. Every dollar from this millage rate increase is an investment directly tied to student learning, he said.

Effingham Schools recently earned a 4.5 Financial Efficiency Star Rating from the Georgia Department of Education, ranking fourth out of 180 school systems statewide.

Public Concerns
About 20 residents attended the final public hearing before the vote. Several property owners, retirees on fixed incomes, and business owners voiced frustration over rising appraisals, cost of living increases, and tax abatements for industry.

Historical Millage Rate Chart

Looking Ahead: ESPLOST Vote

Looking ahead, the district is preparing to ask voters in November to approve another ESPLOST (Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax). If passed, funds would go toward capital projects such as facility upgrades and technology improvements.