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Houston owners need assistance in airport battle By VETO F. ROLEY Staff Writer While Perry and Houston County control the Perry-Houston County Airport Authority, and are totally responsible for funding the airport, Peach County stands to reap the financial bonanza of taxes collected from the airport. The majority of the Perry- Houston County Airport is located just over the Peach County border, including most of the land available for development, the airport office building and the hangers, making Peach County the recipient of most of the taxes paid at the airport. Houston County Commission Chairman Sherrill Stafford told the authority at their regular meeting Monday that there were three possi ble solutions to the problem. First, the authority could find someone in Houston County who would swap his land to Peach County in return for the airport's land in Peach County. Stafford said that there could be some tax bene fits for someone to do this, with the differing levels of taxing be tween Peach County and Houston County. In a telephone interview on Tuesday, Stafford said that land swap did not have to involve Houston County land near the air port, but could involve land any where along the Houston County- Peach County border. Stafford told the authority that he had spoken to several Peach County commissioners, who had indicated that they could support a land swap for the airport. A second option, said Stafford, was changing the Georgia state law to allow ad valorem taxes at the airport paid to Houston County. Stafford said that he had dis cussed changing the way ad valorem taxes are paid on aircraft with Rep. Larry Walker. Currently, aircraft owners pay taxes in the county where the plane is kept, meaning that owners of planes kept at the Perry-Houston County Airport would pay taxes to Peach County. Stafford said that Walker was willing to change the law to allow the taxes to be paid at the county which ran tire airport and was re sponsible for its upkeep. He also added that Peach County officials had indicated their support for such a move. Cartouche |Hjk super special The perfect personalized SC99 gift. A handmade pendant 3 with your name in Ancient 8 Egyptian Hieroglyphics. . 18K Solid Gold from $196.00 jQg Sterling Silver from $72.00 SamSd Diamond Buttercup CJ-6 Full line of Egyptian Earrings 2 p' tw Jewelry available! DIAMOND s>« QQOO TENNIS BRACELET Overton JezveCers @Oll 905 Carroll Street FyfSFl 'Mbj Perry, GA 31069 Mon - Sat 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. ft Tradition of Qua City and Service NOW OPEN *7oue& Complete Personal Nail Care Julie R. Brown Monday - Saturday 901 Northside Drive Perry 987-0543 However, this would not take into account any taxes paid by businesses that could locate at the airport, said Stafford. The authority has indicated its desire to develop the land around the airport into an industrial park. Because of F.A.A. restrictions, most of the available land around the airport for develop ment is located in Peach County. Even if die law could be changed to allow Houston County to collect the taxes on planes at the aimort, Peach County would still collect taxes on any industries established at the airport. The third solution to the prob lem would be for Houston County to "annex" the airport into the county. However, Stafford said this was the least likely method to solve the problem because of the compli cated procedure involved. A landowner, in this case the au thority, can petition to have county boundaries changed. In order to have the county boundaries changed, the land owner notifies both county probate judges of his intentions in writing. After a publicadon period of the notices, the probate judge in each county turns the request over to die respective grand jury of the county. Both grand juries must approve the petition by a two-thirds vote. If the grand jury approved the change in county boundaries, then those results would be certified by the clerks of the two county's supe rior courts. The clerks would then forward the approval to the coun ties' governing body. In both coun ties, the governing body must dien approve the boundary change. Stafford said that he didn't know if the county would pursue the third option, saying the land swap would be preferred with a legal solution through the Legislature being the second preferred way of solving the problem. "It would be a controversial topic," said Stafford of a potential "annexation" of the airport by the county. "I don't want to embark on something that would not be suc cessful. I have doubt Peach County would approve it (the county boundary changing to put the air port in Houston Gounty).” ii n BL I M FIT mgr'/.u »*.. iw* » 'Checking the Methods...' Gloria Sikes (standing), customer service manager for the Bank of Perry, talks with residents of the Older Americans Council about the advantages of banking. Sikes told the senior citizens about the advantages of direct deposits to avoid the possibility of checks being stolen after mail delivery. (Photo by Jimmy Simpson) Cameffia & Main 100 W. Main Street • Fort Valley, GA 31030 It's Our Anniversary 7 Years Camellia & Main wishes to celebrate and to thank you for your support! Come see our new fall items! Peek at what’s new for Christmas! Enjoy some peach tea with us! Wednesday, Sept. 21 - Saturday, Sept. 24 Hours: M-F 9:30-6:00 Saturday 9:30 - 5:00 825-1570 Z.A.A.P. 'fyour 7Shef &Cc<z*U*iy TSaty! . 50% Limit up to SIO.OO Must Present Coupon! With Incoming Order One Coupon Per Day Per Visit. Under New Management! 1369 Sam Nunn Blvd. • Perry Market Place 987-1922 Have You Visited The Curiosity Shop 1216 Main Street across from More Than Mail? I sit on my swing when we are open, when it rains I have an umbrella. We have Grr Grr Great Gifts at Grr Grr Great Prices! We are open Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. or for shopping after 7 p.m. call Joyce at 987-4429. We get rather lonesome up on the hill so please stop by, if only to browse. Bear Hugs To All, ! 'Barth. ‘Bear $2.00 Off i On dry cleaning orders | ofsllorMore | Must present coupon with incoming order. Not valid with any other offer. On coupon per visit per day. y *«• % r IT Wednesday, September 21,1994, Houston Times -Journal LEGALLY FIGHT FORECLOSURE & WIN! ! ! • The complete Step-by-Step Guide for the homeowner. Tells you what to do to KEEP YOUR HOME, BEFORE, DURING, AFTER FORECLOSURE! ! ! Order today. Send CHECK OR MO. $49.95 plus $3.00 shipping to American Homeowners Advocates 2968 Ask-Kay Drive Suite C Smyrna, Ga. 30082 or CALL 1-800-525-7424 HOME OWMERS “COULD YOU USE” $20,000... 160.78 $40,000 336.34 $30, 000. ..252. 26 $50,000 420.43 9.5% - 360 mo. APR 10% For Best Rates Regardless of Credit * SSOOO to $500,000 *sto 30 year terms * Fixed Rates * Fixed Terms * Debt Consolidation * Refinance * Home Improvements * Cash Available SOUTHERN FUNDING MORTGAGE 3902 Northslde Dr. B-4 Macon, CA 31210 1-800-477-7950 Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee • Senior Citizens Discount • Free In-Town Delivery IbPST • Durable Medical Equipment • Computer Medical Records Hm ' • Emergency Sen/ice • Complete Line Of Sundry Items Viw \ Hubert Bennett [DRUG co.j YOUR FAMILY PHARMACY We Provide Printouts For Insurance Records And Income Tax Records At No Extra Charge. Mon-Fri 8:30-6:00 Sat 8:30-12:30 1036-A Macon Street, Perry, GA mm\ USU 987-2114 A Unit Of The University System Of Georgia FREE Full Tuition Grants for Collegiate Certificates In addition to the HOPE Scholarship Program, Macon College offers HOPE Grants of up to $387 per quarter for students who enroll In one of nine certificate programs, for the 1994-95 acaderpic ' year, the Grant covers tuition pnd,fees and Is supplemented by a J textbook allowance of up to 5100 for students enrolled for six hours or more. Students may begin day or evening classes on a full- of part-time basis. Certificate programs at Macon College represent 45 to 50 credit hours of colfege coursework focused on a specific career field. Depending an the program or most of the credit earned may be applied to an Associate or Bachelor's degree pro- ACCOUNTING BUSINESS BUSINESS MANAGEMENT CRIMINAL JUSTICE EDUCATION MINICOMPUTER OPERATIONS/PROGRAMMING OFFICE COMPUTING/TECHNCH.OGY OFFICE INFORMATION PROCESSING \ “'■* /S'Mddsr. *1- V'SrTjfc' J ' <l. f, - ■ n li ll -i tl Page 5A