Augusta Taxpayers Brace For Big Bill

Augusta, GA—Harrisburg neighborhood homeowner Marilyn Roberts was having a good time visiting with her friend Brenda, from Tennessee. But, Roberts is facing troubled times when it comes to paying her tax bill this fall. “Absolutely, on a fixed income, so an increase like that is going to be devastating, devastating. I don’t know how I’m going to manage it, I don’t know,” she said.

Roberts paid a little more than $400 in taxes on her home, last year, but because she lives in the old city limits, this year’s bill will increase by $292, a big blow for fixed income taxpayers.

“Not only for them, but for a lot of taxpayers, it’s going to be a sizable increase. It was something none of us wanted to see happen. A lot of us worked very hard during the legislative session to try to make this go away…we just couldn’t,” said Tax Commissioner Steven Kendrick.

What went away are the Homeowner Tax Relief Grants the state has been providing local governments for the past ten years. For Augusta’s government, it’s a $3 million loss. For taxpayers, it will be much bigger tax bill, and for the Tax Commissioner, he expects a lot of taxpayers will have a beef with his office when the bills go out.

“I suspect there will be a lot of surprise, some people will possibly be angry, but what we’re going to do in the Tax Commissioner’s office is to let them know exactly what happen,” said Kendrick.

“I’m totally shocked, I have no way of coming up with that much money, it’s going to be difficult. I’m just devastated,” said Roberts.

The increase on the tax bills is $290, if you live in the old city limits of Augusta. For those living in the suburban area, it will be $241, and it will be the same whether you live in a $30,000 house or a $500,000 one.

Tax Commissioner Kendrick says his office is rushing to get bills out a month early to give taxpayers more time to prepare.