Henry County Ambulance Fees May Increase

It looks like Henry County is mulling over another increase in the fees to transport patients in ambulances.  They are wanted a sizeable increase on the heals of a 2012 increase.  This will put a sure burden on the poor and those with no insurance.  One can picture it now a patient is being transported to the hospital having a heart attack or stroke and the paramedics learn they have no money or insurance.  They pull along the side of the road and place the patient on the ground and drive away. 

 

This could bring about a new wave of transportation for the sick or injured who have little money.  There could be a Uber service set up using pick up trucks with covers on the back.  They can stock it with first aid, oxygen tanks they can get, and go on eBay and buy a portable defibrillator.  Call the Uber driver for a fraction of the cost of the paramedics and a need fixed.  Now that is the American way to take care of a problem and make a little money also.

The Staff

Henry County's Dam Problems

The Henry County Board of Commissioners will be voting on special tax districts for dams in Henry County.  The tax district would apply to communities that border lakes and would be applicable to Category 1 dams — dams that can cause loss of human life — and Category 2 dams, which are those that have the potential to impact county roads or other public infrastructure. Properties within the district would be taxed to pay for bonds acquired by Henry County to assist property owners in dam rehabilitation and repair.  There are nearly 30 Category 1 and just over 50 Category 2 dams in Henry County, according to the draft ordinance.  A study had been in the works since 2013 to look at what can be done to revitalize dams that could pose a threat.  Several people spoke from Lake Dow and they said the dam is a Category 1 dam because there are residents in the flood release below the dam.  The dam is not dangerous to the extent it is ready to break; it has a problem with the spillway.  The water from upstream is gathering too quickly in the lake because of the building of homes from upstream.  This problem about the dams has been an issue for years now.  It was brought to our attention several years ago by the late Leon Forrer who had already looked at the State reports on the safety of dams in Henry County.  For some reason, this has been a very slow process on something that could pose a serious life threat if the dams were to fail.

Staff of the Community News Blog

Your Property Taxes

The Henry County Board of Commissioners recently voted to keep the millage rate for the county the same.  There was talk that they might go up 1 millage point as requested by the staff.  But the problem is that you and I will still be paying more this year for property taxes because the assessments for the properties in the county have gone up this year.  Thus, if the commissioners didn't want to raise the property tax they should have rolled back the current millage rate so that it would reflect the same tax amount as last year.  They all knew the assessment values went up and knew that it was a sure thing for a property tax increase.    

The Henry County Board of Education also met recently to say they would leave their millage rate at the maximum of 20 mills.  This will generate over $7 million for the BoE.  The BoC will get just over $5 million dollars more and the total will be $12 million for the county as a whole in an increase this year.  The BoE could have rolled back the millage rate as well to help, but they all voted for it to remain the same.

The increase in taxes is going to hurt everyone, not just one sector.  And this once again shows that Henry County needs some real companies with high paying jobs to come to the county to help offset some of these taxes that the homeowners are saddled with on their backs.  At over 38 mills the county is one of the highest taxed counties in the state.  There is more tax money coming in through SPLOST, unseen taxes in the fuel you buy, the food you eat and the products you purchase daily.  And the BoC is proposing to put another tax on you through something called T-SPLOST for roads to be fixed.  If they start this tax it will never end.  With all the regulations, taxes, resolutions, fees and other things that bring in money for the municipalities and the county, one would think that Henry County would be more affluent than it really is in the eyes of others.  It is just merely a county being filled with multi family homes, and warehouses many of which remain empty.  You would also think with all the money going into the school system that the county would have one of the highest rated school systems in the state.  But they have 31 out of 53 schools that are failing and that is not a good sign when the funds are there.

You hear people coming to the county that have no idea what is happening here that say they want and they want, but they are only going to get what the people have to put in the bank account for the system.  Henry County is rapidly becoming a county doomed to have too much of the same thing over and over.  Too much fast food, too many strip malls with the same stores, and too many parks that have to be maintained.  Yet, the county wants to grow more and more by bringing in people by the thousands.  Somewhere it would be wise to put a moratorium on new homes and businesses until things are truly fixed in the infrastructure.  But the blame game has been going for some time.  It was those people's fault from 20 years ago that didn't plan right for what has happened.  No, they didn't plan right, but people came anyway.  

Look for your property assessments to go up again next year.  That is a cash cow that the BoC and BoE don't want to lose.  And don't forget the water department they get 2 mills of your property tax on your bill each year.  Yes, it is the most taxed place in the region currently and what do you really have to show for it.  Monstrous traffic, ill people, crime and poor services.  Stockbridge won't even put together it's own police force with it's surplus funds.  They would rather spend it on trails and walking paths.   

Remember also, that crime follows more people in the population.  That is a given fact.   When the crime rate continues to rise it will deter good companies from wanting to build in Henry County.  They need to put a sign as you enter the county that this is the highest taxed county in this area to remind people while they wait in traffic.  T-SPLOST is not the answer, but halting the influx of people would give the county an opportunity to catch up with the infrastructure.  But they won't.  They want that extra money.  Remember this when election time rolls around once again and these folks want to keep their jobs.  Find those that will want to be good stewards of your money and do the right things for the people.  But from the election results of the last decade, it is a poor chance that things will change.

The Staff