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T-shirts have small businesses in Effingham County covered
Marian Hodge
Teach Right! owner Marian Hodge displays an “Effingham Strong” T-shirt in her store Thursday. - photo by Mark Lastinger/staff
Mark Lastinger
Effingham Herald
Published: Apr 7, 2020, 1:42 PM
They may get some financial support out of it but the sense of camaraderie is what’s important.
Sonja Scott
Sonja Scott
Sonja Scott - photo by Mark Lastinger/staff

RINCON — Sonja Scott’s mind is a geyser of ideas. The latest one to gush from her creative brain has been a boon for small businesses in Effingham County.

Teach Right! owner Marian Hodge couldn’t have described it better.

“It was a godsend,” she said Thursday. “It was something we needed.”

Many small businesses in Effingham County and across the country are hurting financially because customer traffic has slowed to a crawl or stop because of social distancing restrictions initiated in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Scott suggested that local business owners could make up some of the shortfall by selling T-shirts emblazoned with “Effingham Strong.”

“I was sitting there listening to ‘Savannah Strong’ (on television) and thought, ‘We could do that and maybe take it to another level,” Scott said. “... I wondered who would catch the ball if I came up with the idea.”

Scott presented her idea to Tim Polk and Brittany Trull of Peachy Tees in Springfield. A sizeable portion of their business, the printing of youth sports jerseys, has stopped because of the pandemic.

“They are people with great compassion,” Scott said. “I can tell that.”

She continued, “The goal was ultra low-level pricing so that small businesses can do a little markup and kind of make their rent,” Scott explained. “Brittany said, ‘You know what? Yeah. My dad and I just got through having the same conversation twenty minutes ago.”

Within 24 hours, Trull developed a design for the shirts, which are gray and feature black letters and an outline of familiar Effingham County landmarks.

“We spoke on Monday,” Scott said. “Tuesday at noon, we had a design. By that Friday (March 27), we had sold more than five hundred shirts.

“That’s a God thing. I’m crazy enough to call people and ask them to do crazy things. That’s kind of my (modus operandi).”

Scott and her husband, Roger, have owned multiple small businesses. She is well aware of the challenges they  face.

“We get it as entrepreneurs, small business owners,” she said. “It’s tough. If you can’t find a way to make it over the hump, it’s not a pleasant thing. It can be disheartening.

“Being an entrepreneur is not for the faint of heart. You have to be passionate and extremely resilient.”

Scott has promoted the T-shirts, which cost $12 plus tax ($13 for XXL), via Facebook, television and the newspaper. She conduced a media event at The Local on Laurel, whose owner, James Carlson, is a supporter of the project. 

The T-shirts are available at Peachy Tees, Teach Right!, Effingham Navigators, JoAnn’s Florist, Largesse Boutique, Rincon Day Spa, Sassy Southern LLC, Wileys Home Center, Scott and Sons Trucking, RACK of Georgia LLC, Paddles Coffee, MooMcGinn’s Magic Creamery and Rincon CBD Store.

More than 700 shirts had been sold as of Friday.

“They are a blessing,” Hodge said. “When I found out they were open to us (to sell), I jumped on right on it.”

Hodge initially ordered only 60 T-shirts. She has sold at least 200.

“(Sales) have been a pleasant surprise,” she said.

Scott said the T-shirt project is headed toward a second phase.

“We want to do one for houses of faith,” she said. “We may call it ‘Faith Strong’ or ‘Prayer Strong.’ We realize the grieving that is in small businesses is also in the houses of faith.

“We know that the schools are dealing with the same thing. These little campaigns are about, ‘Does anybody get what I am going through?’ They may get some financial support out of it but the sense of camaraderie is what’s important.’”
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.