Effingham County Tax Commissioner Lisa E. Wright announced 2008 tax bills were mailed Sept. 10 and carry a due date of Nov. 15. The tax commissioner’s office will accept a U. S. postmark as evidence of timely payment received.  

The tax assessors office determines the taxable property value of any and all property in Effingham County. In turn, when you appeal your property value, the board of equalization (appointed by the Effingham County grand jury) has the right to either agree with the current assessment or adjust as they see fit.

The tax bills have fire fees of $35 per dwelling or $50 per business, and sanitation fees of $168 per dwelling or $96 for an additional can. The bills were calculated by using the net assessed value multiplied by the total millage rate of 29.729 that was adopted by the board of commissioners. For individuals in the city of Guyton, the total millage rate of 31.975 is applicable. The tax office collects fire fees for the city of Guyton as well.  

Upon recommendation from the school board and the hospital board as well as levies from the industrial developmental authority and city of Guyton, the board of commissioners adopts the millage rate for the coming fiscal year. The tax commissioner in turn uses the assessors’ value and the board of commissioners’ millage rate to determine your tax amount due.

The board of commissioners determined during its Aug. 19 meeting that the 2008 tax bills should be sent using the tax credit information promised by the Georgia General Assembly. Whereas the state of Georgia’s promise of payment for the home-owners relief credit to the county ($800,100); school board ($1,372,234); hospital ($179,538); industrial development authority ($180,705); and the city of Guyton ($6,593) for a total of $2,559,178. Currently, the distribution of these funds has been postponed until March 2009.  

The state of Georgia could revisit this item on the current 2008-09 budget; make an amendment to the budget deciding not to fund the homeowners relief credit. At that time it will be up to the above individual boards to decide whether there will be an additional billing for 2008 or if the difference will be absorbed into their current budgets.  

As a precaution, a special note was included in every tax bill notifying each property owner that if the Georgia General Assembly does not continue to fund the homeowners tax relief credit then there is a possibility that they will receive an additional tax bill for the 2008 tax year during 2009.

If you have not received your tax bill by Sept. 17, are a new property owner and have not received a bill, or if you have any questions concerning your bill, please contact the tax commissioner’s office at 754-2121, extension 5.