About The Monroe County reporter. (Forsyth, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 9, 2009)
PAGE 2A VENTl Let me get this straight. James Green is with the Southern CHRISTIAN Lead ership Conference yet he was one of three who stood in fa vor of the liquor license issue that would have been near a church and many residences? Why is this guy involved in public life? rank: 20 Amanda and Scott McDonald are now heading to Washing ton, DC to visit the White House, rank: 18 Amanda and Scott for Presi dent! rank: 15 The citizens of Fosyth de mand an article in the next edition of the MCR dedicated to Amanda and Scott, whoev er they are! rank: 14 (Editor’s note: We only know what we read in the paper.) The school system has noth ing to do with the "Holiday" pa rade. Also, the official school system calendar on its web site lists the break in Decem ber as "Christmas Holidays." rank: 14 CHRIST is the reason for the season and let’s not forget that rank: 13 We moved here from Atlanta. The Macon television has to be the worst around the plan et. Does anyone actually watch the Macon news? rank: 12 Anyone wanting to see Mary Persons' new region (starting 2010) should check out ghsa.net. It's going to be a tough row to hoe (Or page 1B of this week’s Reporter) rank: 11 FUNNY, the day after dad bought an expensive Tiger Woods watch, all eyes were glued to the news. Men... stay away from those apples. They look good, but can turn sour in a moments notice. Temptation is hard to see with your eyes... until a 3-iron is heading to wards your face! rank: 11 I think Amanda and Scott are in the Navy. One post said they were at sea. rank: 10 The SCLC was started after the Montgomery Bus Boycott and Dr. King was the 1 st Pres. Its purpose is to combat racism, poverty, and violence, and is open to people of all races and religions. From all that I have seen, I think Dr. King would be ashamed of this organization today, rank: 10 Where is Georgia ranked? Where are they in the BCS? Where are they playing this weekend? rank: 10 Why is the school calling the parade a holiday parade why not a Christmas parade why does the school say winter holiday instead of Christmas break have we forgot what the reason for the season it has been known as Christmas break for a lot of years what changed. (See Vent No. 5) rank: 10 ACORN (Actual Criminals Obama Recruited in Neigh borhoods) government is al ways here to help, rank: 9 If the clock chimes two min utes till the hour then that would make us ahead of the times, rank: 8 It's not a Charile Brown Christmas tree, it's more like a Linus tree. He was the one with the blanket. Lucy must have been too cheap to pay for any decorations this year. They must have spent the money on the Administrator, rank: 1 Freedom to speak. The MCR Vent. Only in America. Thank you! rank: 1 I have a big decision to make. I ask myself: What would Amanda and Scott do? rank: 109 D. Patrol Road • Forsyth, GA. 31029 • 478-994-9911 Behind Big Chic & Car Wash County admits history of overcharging tax penalties Interest w as often assessed on paid amounts ^Reporter December 9, 2009 We carry a large selection of fashion-forward frames for prescription lenses and sunglasses Southern Waters wants paving Homeowners in Southern Waters subdivision off Hwy. 74 in Monroe County asked county commission ers to live up to their promise and re-pave their road at last month's meeting. Bill Kerr, who developed the 28-lot subdivision, said county public works director Sid Banks had told him the county had $74,000 in the budget to re-pave the county road but it hasn't been done. Commissioner Jim Ham, whose district includes the area, said the county will resurface it but said he can't set a date. He joked that the county would welcome donations for the project, but Kerr said they’d already done that in taxes. For the second year in a row, Southern Waters is set to host a state-wide ski competition on its lake in 2010. Ham asked Southern Waters' residents if they'd teach commissioner Larry Evans to ski. "He's always wanted to ski but he can't swim," said Ham. BY WILL DAVIS Some Monroe County commissioners say they're worried they may be flooded with even more property tax appeals soon. That after acknowl edging last Tuesday that the county wrongly over charged interest on at least one prop erty owner earlier this year - and probably more in years past. Commissioners voted to refund David Bailey $500 after the county appar ently overcharged him interest accumulated on overdue property taxes on his River Forest home. For 2008, Bailey had a tax bill of $10,470 on his 6,000-square-foot home, which was assessed at $1.2 million. In January 2009, Bailey worked out a payment plan with tax commis sioner Lori Andrews to make regular $2,500 pay ments starting after their Jan. 14 due date. The plan had Bailey paying them in full by June 15, 2009. By April, Bailey had already paid $5,000 but still owed $5,470. Yet when the county levied a state-mandated 10 per cent late charge that month, the penalty was $1,047. That's 10 percent of his original tax bill, even though half of it had already been paid. A business owner, Bailey discovered the mistake and wrote com mission chairman James Vaughn seeking relief. Meanwhile, he paid off the entire tax bill and penalties by June 15. County attorney Michael Dillon told com missioners that the coun ty overcharged Bailey interest on amounts he had already paid. And at Tuesday's meeting, Vaughn agreed, saying the county was obligated to refund the overcharged many are we going to get? - Commissioner Jim Peters interest. Commissioners approved the refund unanimously. But commissioner Jim Peters added that it could set an expensive prece dent for the county. "How many are we going to get?" asked Peters. "Patsy (former tax commissioner Patsy Miller) has done that (cal culated interest in that manner) for years and years." Commissioner Larry Evans said the county isn't liable for any over charged interest that’s more than three years old. But Vaughn said Peters raises a good question. "How much (over charged penalty) is penned up behind the dam?" he wondered, set ting off a prolonged silence. For Bailey's part, he said he appreciated the county's willingness to work with him. Of eight property owners seeking a refund of penalties and interest from the 2008 bills, he was the only to get it on Tuesday. He said Andrews had been a big help. "I want to commend Mrs. Andrews for working with taxpayers in an unusual economic envi ronment and the board," said Bailey, who only moved to the area recent ly. "It worked for every one." Commissioner Jim Ham joked that Bailey's the first person with a $12,000 property tax bill that he's seen smiling. Bailey replied that the tax bill was better than his first city water bill, which was $37,000. "My wife said, 'do you think it's going to be this much every month?"' joked Bailey. Bailey told the Reporter that if he hadn't caught the error and gone to the commission meeting, he probably would not have gotten a refund. "It was an evening well- spent," said Bailey. Anyone who thinks they may have been over charged interest on a property tax bill that had been partially paid in the past three years may want to call the tax com missioners' office at 994- 7020. Need Holiday Cash? Come see Santa’s Best Helper! Apply Online www.lffc.com J-1 W Franklin ^Financial timing Onr Stighbtrs Since 1941 * All loans subject to our liberal credit policy and limitations, if any. I s ' Franklin Financial Corporation, Georgia Residential Mortgage License #5656NMLSR #141654. Dr. Tom Perry OPTOMETRIST For Complete Eye Examinations 9-5 Mon-Thurs/9-4Wed 9-12 Friday (Closed Friday Afternoon) 105 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. • Forsyth 994-2988 Dr. W. Stephen Taunton, Sr. is proud to announce the addition of a new physician, his son, Dr. Wiliam S. Taunton, Jr., to The Doctors Office. Dr. Taunton, Jr. will begin ^ practicing on January 4,2010. 1982 Welcome Home! THE DOCTOR S OFFICE 90-A MLKJr.Dr. Forsyth, GA 31029 478.994.0437 WWW.TDO-GA.COM A graduate of The University of Georgia, Dr. Taunton, Jr. earned his medical degree from Mercer University in 2006 and completed his Family Practice Residency at DCH Hospital in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, in June 2009. Dr. Taunton, Jr. is now accepting new patients. To schedule an appointment, please call 478.994.0437.
