“This is no raise in property tax”

The City of Nelson set new millage rates this week during its October council meeting. Straddling two counties, Nelson set rates for portions of the city located in Cherokee and Pickens Counties, including a fire tax for Cherokee County. Council unanimously passed a motion to approve a millage of 1.546 for the Cherokee side, 1.538 for the Pickens side, and 3.394 for the Cherokee County Fire Tax, where the new fire tax rate reflects an increase from last year.

“This is no raise in property tax,”

City Clerk Brandy Edwards said,

“We haven’t raised property tax in nine years.”

Edwards added, however, that Cherokee’s property values dropped $20,000 this year and values were also down in Pickens. This means that although the millage rates have not increased, property owners are paying more than their property is worth. Edwards explained that Nelson only keeps $18,000 collected from Cherokee property taxes and $16,000 from Pickens. She went on to say, however, that the city has no control over the fire tax due to a contract for fire services Nelson has with Cherokee County.

Council also set property tax levy and due dates. The proposed start date is December 1, 2012 and the due date, February 1, 2013. “We tried to leave it so it’s not due right when the county’s (tax) is due or around Christmas,” Edwards said. Council unanimously passed the millage rates and the levy dates.

Also in the meeting, Councilman Duane Cronic made a motion to use SPLOST Three funds to renovate the kiddie park in town, an on-going discussion with the council.

“We’ve got a list of what actually does need to take place down there,”

he said. Cronic went on to explain he divided the project into three phases. The first phase will remove the railroad ties, gravel and old playground equipment. The second phase will pressure wash the playground equipment and repaint some the items, such as the tables. And, the third phase will restructure the outer boarder of the playground and fill it in with mulch, and make sure this area is up to code. Cronic made a motion to allocate $6000 of SPLOST three money to begin work on the project.

“It’s a long time coming,”

he said,

“And I think there’s a lot of people around that(sic) want to see that happen…they want that park fixed up.”

The motion passed unanimously.