New landfill section is to the left
Two public hearings have been set next Thursday for the new millage rate in Walker County.
They are at 8 a.m. at the Walker County Civic Center, 10052 Hwy. 27, Rock Spring, and at 6:30 p.m. at the Courthouse Annex III, 201 S. Main Street in LaFayette.
There will be a landfill expansion public hearing at 7 p.m., then a Walker County Commission meeting to vote on the tax rate and the landfill expansion.
Concerning the tax rate, Mr. Legge said, "The new millage rate is going down from 9.287 to 8.313 in the unincorporated area and 13.275 to 11.963 in the incorporated areas.
"However, the state mandates that we advertise a small 'tax increase' because the new rate will be higher than their 'rollback' rate. The state's 'rollback' rate is a highly complicated calculation, that does not allow for local governing authorities to capture sales tax growth or new housing growth without saying they are raising taxes.
"We will actually take in $196 less in property taxes this year, even though the new rate will be a little bit higher than the 'rollback' rate."
Mr. Legge also said, "Because of the spike in home sales this past year, the appraisals for many did increase. But yes, much of the roll back is due to the higher value appraisals, new housing and growth in the local sales tax base, which takes pressure off of property taxes."
The county plans to obtain a solid waste handling permit for a solid waste handling operation known as the Marble Top Road Site 2 Construction and Demolition Landfill at 5120 Marble Top Road, Chickamauga.
The new section of the landfill would be to the west of the current landfill that is closed.
All household garbage taken to the landfill is trucked to another landfill in Alabama.