About The Madison County journal. (Hull, Ga.) 1989-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 25, 2024)
o o DECEMBER 25, 2024 Merged with The Comer News and The Daniclsvillc Monitor, 2006 MadisonJoumalTODAY.com Vol. 41 No. 47* Publication No. 1074-987* Danielsville, Madison County, Georgia 30633 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers Inc. *16 Pages, 2 Section Plus Supplements $1.00 Local governments faced with decision over new homestead exemption law By Caleb Rollins House Bill 581 has been making waves throughout local govern ments across the state in recent weeks. The bill was approved with 68% of the state wide vote in November, receiving 66.7% of the vote in Madison County. The new amendment establishes a statewide “floating homestead” ex emption based on the rate of inflation. This allows for assessment on home steaded properties to only rise annually at the rate of inflation. Perhaps the most sig nificant addition to the bill, however, is its “opt- out” option. Local governments, which includes the coun ty, cities and school board, have the option to opt-out of the law be tween Jan. 1 and March 1,2025. To opt-out, local gov ernments must pass a resolution after holding three public hearings and running required ad vertisements at least one week prior to each meet ing. Local governments across the state have be gun scheduling these hearings, signaling their widespread intent to opt- out of the assessment cap. While homeowners across Georgia could benefit from a reduction in their tax burden by slowing the rise in prop erty value, local govern ments fear tying their hands if they do not opt- out, as the bill takes away their control over proper ty tax values. School boards, which collect a large portion of their revenue from local property taxes, would be particularly impacted by the implementation of the new law. While city and county governments that opted in to the law could po tentially supplement rev enue through a new sales tax, school systems have a narrower stream of rev enue. The law does not low er overall revenue school systems need to operate, as it shifts the property tax burden for school rev enue to different classes See Exemption, page 3A A ‘Magical Christmas 9 Santa Claus rides through Comer Photos by Caleb Rollins Santa (above) waves to on lookers as he rides in the Comer Christmas Parade on Dec. 7. Santa stopped in Yarbrough Park following the parade to take photos with kids. Parade participants (right) wave to a crowd of hun dreds gathered in down town Comer for Comer’s Magical Christmas event on Dec. 7. The parade was followed by a vendor market with over 50 vendors in Com er’s Yarbrough Park. Index News — 1 A, 3A, 5A Opinions — 4A Socials — 2A Schools — 2A, 7A-8A Churches — 7A Obituaries — 4B-5B Sports — 1B-3B Classifieds — 6B Legals — 7B MAILING LABEL Local children throw candy to parade onlookers as they wind through Comer on Dec. 7. Madison County Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Anna Strickland and her family pose for a photo with Santa during Coiner’s Magical Christmas. Inflation still on the rise, driven by food and housing costs U.S. consumer prices increased 0.3% in No vember, marking the fifth consecutive month of rising costs, according to the Consumer Price Index released by the La bor Department on Dec. 11. The increase follows a 0.2% rise in each of the previous four months. In the past year, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consum ers has risen 2.7%, up from 2.6% in October. The November uptick was largely driven by a 0.3% rise in shelter costs, which accounted for nearly 40% of the overall increase. Prices for food also climbed, with the food index rising 0.4%. Grocery prices, or the “food at home” index, jumped 0.5%, while din ing out, reflected in the “food away from home” index, rose 0.3%. Energy costs saw a more modest increase of 0.2%, following an un changed reading in Oc tober. Excluding the volatile food and energy sectors, core prices also rose 0.3% in November, con sistent with the previous three months. Categories contributing to the core increase included used cars and trucks, medi cal care, new vehicles, household furnishings and recreation. However, the commu nication index was one See Inflation, page 3A MCHSJROTC marches to win at parade The Madison County High School Junior Re serve Officers’ Training Corps Battalion led by Cadet Lieutenant Col onel Jaramillo, under the guidance of Colonel Stuart and First Sergeant Ramey continues to win awards. It not only provided the honor guard leading the 2024 Comer Christ mas Parade; it also won the “best marching unit” award from the City of Comer by demonstrating a unified team effort. Accepting the award for the JROTC unit was Cadet First Sergeant White. Colonel Bruce Gan dy, United States Ma rine Corps (Retired), delivered it on behalf of the Christmas Parade Committee and the City of Comer to MCHS on Thursday, Dec. 12. Submitted photo Pictured from left to right: Colonel Stuart, Cadet First Sergeant White, Colonel Bruce Gandy and First Ser geant Ramey. White accepted the “best marching unit” award for the MCHS JROTC unit for their participation in the Comer Christmas Parade.
