Plan will increase tax rate

I think that the trash pick up is not a part of this discussion as it is paid for by a fee added to the tax bill, not paid for out of the property tax. However, I agree that there are many 'perks' that need to be eliminated but are not addressed in this budget proposal, like the free gas allowance given to commissioners and the free rides on Augusta Transit. Also notice that these are just "Possible Budget Changes." Wait until the commission votes and then see which of their 'pet' projects actually get cut or eliminated!

Wait a minute, you mean to tell me that I am forced to pay new taxes and it reduces education and training? So this will mean you are also reducing the job employment then right? I want to move now, I will just rent out this house and let people meet your increase, I am leaving. Every time you increase this home, my bank makes it less affordable to live in cause they tack on the interest to my mortgage. Fred Russell, try making it on a minimum wage salary and only get about $400 every 2 weeks and pay your bills like us. Then you will know just how we are feeling about your tax increases! No? WHY NOT????

If you are living on minimum wage and have internet service, you are still living with your parents.

If all it takes to plan a budget, then every Tom, Dick, and Harry are certainly qualified for the administrator's job! Doesn't take a plan, nor much thought to raise taxes, and this commission just implements it on a whim.

Why is it that every time it's aproblem with taxes the home owners has to be the ones that suffers from this increasing there property taxes.

Is all of that property purchased by the Augusta National still taxed based on it's value? It is a huge deal for the average property owner to have to deal with this, is this entity having to pay it's fair share? After all, the value of this property is now astronomical, You probably could not buy it for a billion dollars? Ought to be lots of tax revenue there!

There is a whole lot more to the budget than the summary printed above. The reductions mean cuts in service. If you think the administrator has an a genda, you are not very bright. The administrator's job is to figure out how to pay for what the Commissioners want and what is mandated by the state and federal government. Commissioners ask for what their constituents want. If you want lower taxes, what are you willing to do without? The cost of what citizens have asked for has increased - electricity, natural gas, gasoline, diesel. Compared to surrounding areas, Richmond county taxes are low and of the $$ we pay, over 70% goes to the school board. That lower tax rate has to pay for a higher level of service because of the urban center. If you want lower taxes, move to Columbia county. Oh, I forgot, their rate is higher.

If you own a home worth more than $100,000.00 you are rich. If you make more than $250,000.00 in income, you are rich. It is only fair that the government takes away your money and gives it to someone else. You should not complain. After all, you have reaped the benfits of living in America. You have been priviledged. You should be happy to give something back. Think of all the poor people you stepped over to get to where you are. Not.

DeborahElliot2, what type of mortgage do you have that increases the interest because of a property tax increase? Do you realize that even if you rent your house, you are still the one responsible for the taxes? How did you qualify for a mortgage on $800 a month take home?

Whoaa . . . That was weird. I had this weird dream last night. Thought I was Barack Obama.

what do you mean,just cut all services if this will lower my taxes.
to include law enforcement.Just come up with a across the board with a "1-cent" tax for all in the county.

Administrator Russell is merely following the lead of the presumed President-elect: Share the wealth.

Just publish the BUDGET on the Cities web site "with all supporting requests for funding" and we will see what is the priority of the commissioners. By the way, why don't they 1. Fund all required activities. 2. If money is left at the end of the year, then dole it out to the Non-Profits. That way we don't have tax increases and Non- Profits will have to live on the income their vital service provides. If a Non-Profit is so desired by the public, the public will support it with donations. In any event please tell us what specifically,our money is being provided to these organizations. Only then will we know what "Agency appropriations are and why they cost $187,000.00 a year!!!

The city need to come up with a fair tax law, that will have everyone pay their fair share.

Good ole Fred kick um in the pocketbook while they are down.
These people are idiots why can't they do any thing except raise
taxes?
Augusta's population needs to get up in arms about these increases while the political parties go on junkets, feasibility
studies and other needless spending.
Housing prices are down all across the country FRED don't you read this or you just interested in sticking it to the tax payers.
The economy is suffering and you want to make it worse to the loyal Augustans who haven't moved to Columbia county or North Augusta.

The Arts Council just put on one of the most successful festivals in the state and attracted tourists from all over and to reward them, the county is cutting their budget by $50,000. Where is the incentive to do good things for the county?

Freds bio: Mr. Frederick L. Russell was employed as Deputy Administrator, Public Safety Portfolio, in January 2002. Mr. Russell has a Master of Science in Criminal Justice from Nova University and a Bachelor of Science from Virginia Tech. He attended the FBI National Academy, 150th Session. Some of the former positions he has held include: Deputy Chief, Richmond, VA Police Department; Executive Director, VA State Crime Commission; Chief of Police, City of Bedford, VA.

Now what qualifications does this man have to handle the taxpayers money?
He should be in Law enforcement.

did we just have a tax increase? my taxes went up from 1800 to 2400 this year.
I don't live in a manison and dont have any property. It threw me for a loop.

isitme: apply that same reasoning to the families successful enough to make $250k or more.

Pointstoponder, I financed my home in 1997 while I was still in the military. My husband is now retired military and pays on the home that used to be only $589 back then. Now, we are paying almost twice that due to taxes, garbage, and other stuff they added to our mortgage. I am suppose to be a disabled veteran. I work on minimum wage in Columbia County cause I had a hard time finding ANY employment in Augusta. I had been told many times here, it is not what you know, but WHO you know that gets you a job and it should not be that way, but unfortunately.....

although the city administrator is not an elcted official he still has the power of the bully pulpit, he can offer suggestions to the budget such as reducing spending or spending cuts to the commission. it is up to the commission to "order him" to put the spending requests back into the budget even though the city admin does not agree. that's what got george kolb fired. he say unnecessary spending on programs and plulled them out of the budget, which didn't sit well with certain commissioners and their requests for pet projects. so he is not totally innocent, he can if he dosen't agree turn to the media to inform the taxpaying public, who in turn can contact their commissioners. along with the school board, its just spend, spend, spend without the corresponding increase in city services or school performance. this lies with the commissioner and school board members who now, like joe scott is trying to make the case of fical responsibility burt if re-elected it will be back to the same old thing which is "taxpayers-homeowners be damned" just keep spending and keep raising the mill rate, if we build it they will come

You are not getting a better Augusta for the 29.00. Services and wants are being cut regardless of the tax increase so I wouldn't say it is better. The problem is is that there are fewer and fewer people in home ownership. There are more gov't housing and such. A lot less contribute to the tax base in Augusta so it has to raise taxes. The sad part is those that get the most benefit out of many of the services are those that pay no taxes. They were saying the cost of keeping the prisioners up is going up. Most of them probably never paid any taxes to start and we the working class pay for them and they eat and live better than those of us on the outside. Augusta needs to raise the sales tax and make everyone responsible for the services it uses not just the working class. Go rent and apartment, you get free maintenance, free water usually, free play grounds, free pools and clubhouses. Homeownership is not the American dream anymore, that is unless you will be getting a bailout from the government for those who should have never gotten a home they couldn't afford to start with.

Last time I checked, the break even for property tax revenue to cover the cost of providing service was $140,000. If your home is worth less than that, you are getting more than you pay for.

Deborah Elliott2, thanks for your service and my condolences for your disability. However, if you are on disabiolity and your husband is retired military, you are not living on minimum wage. You may be earning that, but not living off it. You mention "other" adds to your mortgage. I would be very surprised if your taxes doubled in 10 years, at leave from the county government side. School taxes have gone up much more consistently than the part the Commission controls, yet the Commission gets the lion's share of the criticism.

The majority of RC budget goes to law enforcement, if you can believe WRDW.

Between the Sheriff, Jails, Marshal's office, RCCI, and the courts, the total is well over half. I forgot to add the District Attorney and Public defender, several million there.

Wait a minute, I thought housing values were falling, shouldn't property taxes be going DOWN????

Tall2, I have some land to sell you if you believe that!!!