City Council Fails to Set Millage Rate

Political posturing.

That's what Kelly Kautz called Barbara Bender's proposal to set the millage rate at 5.7 mills, even lower than the 5.9 mills it was set at in 2010. The proposal also was lower than that recommended by city staff, which was 6.19 mills.

"I think this is political posturing by Mayor Pro Tem Bender tonight," Kautz said. "I do not support the increased millage rate because I think that is a hardship for our citizens if we increase their taxes, but I also do not believe that we should cut the services for the city for political gain by reducing the millage rate at this time."

Now, that Bender is running for council, Kautz added, she's looking to lower taxes, "but when push comes to shove you have to do what's in the best interest of your city." And, at this time, a 5.7 millage rate isn't it, Kautz believed.

Bender took issue with Kautz, saying she was disappointed that a millage rate discussion was turning into a "political event."

"I have not vowed, I have not printed, I have not stated anywhere that I was going to lower your taxes," she said. "I believe that's not something someone can promise at any point in time. We don't know what the economy is going to hold. We don't know what the future is going to hold. You can't make those type of promises."

But, council never actually voted on the 6.19 millage rate, which would have meant a tax increase for many homeowners. It voted on a 5.7 rate, and then it voted on a 5.9 rate. Neither of them panned out.

After more than an hour of wrangling, and council members throwing out a plethora of competing figures, it seems no one could agree on what the real numbers were. Whether a lower millage rate would mean shortfall for the city was a central question not definitively answered.

"With all these calculations at the last minute, I'm a little confused about the numbers," said Mike Sabbagh, councilman.

Each of the votes resulted in a split down the middle, 3 to 3. Bender, Tom Witts and Tod Warner voted for the 5.7 millage rate. Mayor Jerry Oberholtzer, Kautz and Sabbagh voted against it. Then, the mayor, Kautz and Sabbagh voted for a 5.9 millage rate, and Bender, Witts and Warner opposed.

Warner seemed especially confident that if the city went with a 5.7 millage rate and it turned out that there was a defecit in 2012 that they could "find enough fat in the budget" to make adjustments.

"Personally," he said, "I think the right thing to do is to give as much back to the citizens as we can."

The mayor originally had been in support of a 6.19 millage rate. "But," he said, "that's not going anywhere."

"I was hoping one year we wouldn't have all of this," he added about the contentious debate.

Not only were council members confused by their discussion, but citizens also were notablly perplexed. Some said they were also disappointed.

"If 5.7 works, then that's the best way and in the best interest of the city, if 5.9 is the only way it works, then that's the best interest, if 6.19 is the best interest, then that's the only way," said Dennis Lawton, who has lived in Snellville for 18 years.

But, with so many figures batted about, "How do you make a decision?," he asked.

So, the city is left at an impasse. It is awaiting advice from the city attorney now on whether the city's inaction means the millage rate stays where it is: at 5.9 mills.

That would essentially be a break-even budget, said Russell Treadway, the city manager.

"It appears from tonight that if that is the case then we won't meet again on the millage rate," he said. "If it is not the case then we'll need to have a special called meeting to set a millage rate, cause we got to have a millage rate."