GAINESVILLE – The Hall County Commission agreed at its work session Monday afternoon to begin taking public comment on the contentious issue of short term housing rentals and changes to the existing code proposed by the Hall County Planning Department when they meet on Thursday.
While there was no discussion by commissioners Monday afternoon on the proposed code amendments, and no public comment by interested citizens, there will likely be plenty of verbal give-and-take Thursday evening.
The February 28th voting session begins at 6:00 p.m. in the Hall County Government Center.
Commissioners also received a Six Month Financial Status Update from Financial Services Director Zach Propes on the county’s fiscal condition at the halfway point of the 2019 budget year.
Propes began his report with good news. “Basically, overall, the operating funds, we are seeing some increased revenue, additional revenue that has come into the county and therefore we’re looking at increasing the overall county budget…right at $3.7 million.”
“Two additional revenues that are performing real well for us are LOST (Local Option Sales Tax)…we’re seeing about a four-and-a-half to five percent increase from prior year collections…and then TAVT, which is the Title Ad Valorem Tax,” Propes said.
“That revenue stream is continuing to see some real strong increases comparatively,” Propes explained, saying that the increase in TAVT was roughly twenty percent.
Probes encouraged commissioners to maintain a cautious approach even though revenues were robust. “It’s good now but in the long term we probably just need to be reminded that a more conservative approach needs to be maintained.”
