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The Commerce News
JEFFERSON, JACKSON COUNTY GEORGIA 30549 $1.00 COPY
Tax digest
County tax digest appeal now unlikely
Consultant
concludes state’s
ratio data for
county’s tax digest
is accurate
Get ready for another
likely hike in property val
ues next year.
A consultant retained by
local county, school and
city officials has conclud
ed there’s no basis for the
county to appeal a state
finding that the local tax di
gest was undervalued.
“...I don’t believe I will
be able to help you in your
appeal because I think it
is pretty accurate based
on how the study is per
formed,” said consultant
Kelly McCormick in an
email memo to Commerce
School System superin
tendent Joy Tolbert who
had been coordinating the
effort. “The ratio that (the
state) has concluded is very
close to what I would (con
clude) as well.”
In August, the state noti
fied Jackson County that its
sales ratio for its tax digest
was just at 31%, below the
38% threshold.
For tax purposes, real
property is supposed to be
taxed at 40% of its actu
al value. The state audits
counties each year to make
sure the local tax digest is
at, or close to, that number
— 38% is considered the
minimum acceptable.
But this year’s state audit
of 2022 data that compared
digest numbers to a sam
pling of actual sales showed
that Jackson County was
only at 31%, far below the
minimum.
That data didn’t include
this year’s massive proper
ty reevaluation across the
county. Still, county offi
cials believe the state’s au
dit findings could force the
county to again hike proper
ty values in a bid to get the
ratio higher for 2024.
One of the underlying
issues is that the state uses
a different formula for cal
culating the ratio than most
counties use. The lack of
a viable appeal will likely
See Digest,page 2A
Election
Early voting
continues for
Pendergrass
special
election
Early voting contin
ues for the Pendergrass
City Council Septem
ber 19 special election.
Bob Carter and Mal
lory Danner are com
peting in that Sept. 19
race.
Early voting is being
held this week and next
week.
Dates and times in
clude:
•Tuesday, Sept. 5,
through Saturday, Sept.
9, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
daily
•Monday, Sept. 11,
through Friday, Sept.
15, from 9 a.m. to
5 p.m.
Early voting will
take place at the coun
ty elections center, lo
cated at 441 Gordon
Street in Jefferson.
ABSENTEE
BALLOTS
Absentee ballots are
also available. The
deadline to request an
absentee ballot is Sept.
8. Visit https://www.
j acksoncountygov.
com/195/Current-Elec
tion-Information for
information on absen
tee ballots.
ELECTION DAY
VOTING
Election Day vot
ing will take place on
Sept. 19 from 7 a.m. to
7 p.m. at Pendergrass
City Hall.
Schools
Commerce celebrates
community helpers
Officer Tevin Dunbar is shown with a student at Commerce Primary
School during Community Helpers Day. Commerce Primary School stu
dents have been learning about the many ways Community Helpers
take care of the community. Recently, the students were able to spend
some time with some of the local Community Helpers.
Commerce Primary School students have been learning about the
many ways Community Helpers take care of the community. Recently,
the students were able to spend some time with some of the local Com
munity Helpers. See more on page 2A.
Public safety
Sheriff’s deputy
charged with criminal
trespass, violating oath
A Jackson County Sher
iff’s Office deputy has been
arrested on charges of crim
inal trespass and violation
of oath after reportedly en
tering a Jefferson residence
without authority.
The Georgia Bureau of
Investigation has arrested
and charged Deputy Zacha
ry Billings, age 35, of Jef
ferson.
A citizen filed a complaint
on Sunday, Aug. 27, against
Billings, claiming that he
had entered a residence
belonging to him without
permission or authority.
According to an announce
ment from Jackson County
Sheriff Janis Mangum, the
complaint was reviewed
and appeared valid. Billings
was suspended with pay.
The JCSO requested the
GBI to investigate the inci
dent on Aug. 28.
“On Sunday, August 27,
Billings entered a home off
Lakeview Terrace in Jef
ferson without permission
or authority,” the GBI said
in a news release. “Billings
was on duty as a Jackson
County Sheriff’s deputy at
the time.”
Billings turned himself
into the Jackson County Jail
on Thursday, Aug. 31. He
bonded out and was termi
nated from his position with
the sheriff’s office.
“As the Sheriff, I am dis
appointed and saddened at
this behavior by a Deputy
Sheriff who is sworn to up
hold the law. I will not tol
erate these actions by any
one,” Mangum said.
The GBI will give the
case file to the District At
torney’s Office for review
once the investigation is
complete.
Public safety
Arrest made in
Jefferson murder
The GBI has arrested a
suspect in the Aug. 18 mur
der of Mateo Gomez Lucas
in Jefferson.
Edwin Garcia Alonzo,
36, Jefferson, was arrested
Aug. 27 in Hall County for
the murder.
Gomez was shot near
the intersection of Busi
ness Hwy. 129 and Storey
Lane in Jefferson around
10:50 p.m. on Aug. 18.
He was taken to a hospital
where he died from the gun
shot.
The GBI and Jefferson
Police Department investi
gated the case and said the
shooting is still under inves
tigation.
Anyone with informa
tion is encouraged to con
tact the Jefferson Police
See Arrest, page 2A
MAILING LABEL
Pendergrass
Pendergrass approves budget, new ordinances
The City of Pendergrass ap- several new “quality of life” 3 mills. $829,000. Garage Sales Regulations:
proved its FY2024 budget and ordinances that regulate sever- The FY2024 budget tops In addition to its budget, The council voted to limit ga-
this year’s millage rate at its al aspects in the town. $2.1 million. The largest sin- the council also approved five rage sales to two per year per
Aug. 28 meeting. The council approved keep- gle area in the budget is for the new city ordinances. Those ap- property owner; time to be
The council also approved ing its millage rate the same at town’s police department at proved are for: See Pendergrass, page 21
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