County tax increase just got bigger

In a 4-0 vote this week, the budget committee of Oconee County agreed to ask for one additional tax mill to generate money for new squad cars for the Sheriff’s Office, as well as to apply to the mounting costs to replace some of the county’s aging fleet of vehicles and equipment. Councilman Julian Davis said that the vote was taken near the end of Monday afternoon’s committee meeting. Voting yes were Davis along with Cammick, Hart, and Cain. Wayne McCall was absent. Adding the one mill would raise to 3.08 mills the number of new mills that the council will ask the county auditor to levy to help pay for school resource officers to cover all public schools in the county. If approved the county tax increase, according to Davis, would impact the owners of homes assessed at $100 thousand by adding $12 dollars to their property tax bills.