Newspaper Page Text
THE
ACKSON
H Wednesday, May 31, 2023
ERALD
VOL. 148 NO. 50
32 PACES 3 SECTIONS PLUS INSERTS
Merged in 2017 with
The Commerce News
A PUBLICATION OF MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
JEFFERSON, JACKSON COUNTY GEORGIA 30549 $1.00 COPY
Jackson BOC
Results of tax study
could impact senior
tax exemptions
By Mike Buffington
mike@mainstreetnews. com
Should Jackson County senior citizens get a
larger break on paying their school property tax
es?
That issue has been hotly debate in recent years
at various local government meetings and with
online petitions.
A number of citizens have called on local pub
lic officials to raise the homestead exemption
amounts for older citizens, or to eliminate school
property taxes for seniors altogether. Sometimes,
those debates have become heated, as it did at a
recent town hall meeting about higher property
assessments this year.
But the results of a current study in the county
could give new life to that debate, data that will
either bolster efforts to raise exemptions or per
haps dampen the idea altogether.
UGA professor and state fiscal economist Jef
fry Dorfman is leading a study of the financial
impacts of various land uses and tax policies in
Jackson County. Among the items being studied is
“county budget alternative taxation of senior citi
zens relative to school property taxes.” That anal
ysis includes implementing larger exemptions,
or completely abating school property taxes for
seniors.
THE ISSUE
Property tax breaks for senior citizens are typ
ically done through special homestead exemp
tions. Those are based on age (typically 62 and/or
65) and the amount of household income.
Currently, seniors in Jackson County can
See Exemptions, page 2A
County observes Memorial Day
The American Legion Post 56 hosted a number
of activities in observance of Memorial Day. The
group posted colors at the Rotary Club meeting.
There was also a patriotic concert featuring the
Athens City Classic Band on May 28 in the Jef
ferson High School auditorium. Legion members
also hosted the annual Memorial Day program
at the Albert Gordon American Legion Post in
Jefferson on Monday, May 29. Pictured (ABOVE)
Audience members salute the flag during the
annual Memorial Day service hosted by Jefferson
American Legion Post 56. Pictured (RIGHT) Jef
ferson American Legion Post 56 vice-commander
Mary Martin was the featured speaker during the
group’s annual Memorial Day
remembrance service held Monday.
Commerce
Celebration of life
set Wednesday
for Commerce
shooting victim
A Celebration of Life to remember Calvin Varnum
will be held on Wednesday, May 31, at 1 p.m. at the
Jefferson Civic Center. Varnum was shot and killed
outside Hardee’s in Commerce on the morning of
May 21.
Visitation will be held prior to the Celebration of
Life (May 31 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.) also at the Jef
ferson Civic Center.
Interment will follow the services at Jackson Me
morial Garden.
Varnum. 72. of Commerce, was allegedly shot and
killed by Xavier Clark, 23, of Commerce. Clark re
mains in the Jackson County Jail and faces a slew of
charges, including murder.
Varnum was a well-known fixture in the City of
Commerce and could often be seen outside Hard
ee’s waving at passersby. He also frequented Huck’s
Cafe and could often be seen walking down Homer
Road. According to his obituary, he loved to walk
and keep his blood pressure at a healthy level.
See Varnum, page 2A
MAILING LABEL
Index
Opinion
4A
Public safety.
6A-7A
School news
3B, 8B
Social news
JB
Sports
1B-2B
Classifieds
7B
Obituaries
4B-5B
Legals
8A-11A
Graduation
Commerce graduates get their diplomas
Photo by Danielle Hunt
Abbi Osborne celebrates getting her diploma at Commerce High School.
CHS celebrates its Class of 2023 during graduation on May 24. See cov
erage in the graduation section beginning on page 1C.
2023
GRADUATION
SECTION INSIDE
The 2023 graduation
section featuring Com
merce High School,
East Jackson Compre
hensive High School,
Jackson County High
School and Jefferson
High School can be
found inside beginning
on page 1C.
Congratulations,
Class of
Jefferson High School. - 10C-12C
Pendergrass
Special
election set
Sept. 19 in
Pendergrass
Pendergrass will hold
a special election on
Sept. 19 to fill the va
cancy of the city council
Post 4 seat. The seat will
be vacated by Nick Gei-
man, who will become
the town’s next mayor.
Qualifying for the
special election will be
held Wednesday, June
14, from 8:30 a.m. to
4:30 p.m.; Thursday,
June 15, from 8:30 a.m.
to 4:30 p.m.; and on
Friday, June 16, from
8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
The qualifying fee is
$35.
Those wishing to qual
ify may do so at Pend
ergrass City Hall, locat
ed at 65 Smith Bridges
Street, Pendergrass.
Pendergrass also has a special
election on June 20 for the city
council post 1 and post 6 seats.
See details on early voting on
page 2A. Read about the candi
dates on page 5A.
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