The Sound Guy

When I travel for business, I usually take 278 until it turns into Camp Creek Parkway and follow that to Park and Fly Plus. They pick you up at car and drop you off at the terminal. They have valet and self part with covered or uncovered parking. If it's easier to get to MARTA for you, there is a station at the Airport, just be careful to check that they are running when your flights are scheduled to take off/arrive. SG

They did at least make it where you have to have the course to get the license at 16: When my son did it, there was a $250 (I think) direct tax credit available on the state Income Tax return, so make SURE you keep the certificate and all the paperwork. Makes sense if you ask me, if it avoids even one accident, I'm sure it saves the state/county $250 in paperwork and police/EMS/fire time. The insurance savings were over $200 a year also, so you will have your money back within a year. I highly recommend it. SG

In theory, yes. However, if it's low, most people don't complain since it cuts taxes. However, if it's high, it costs you money, so many appeal. SG

I'm not sure where the OP got his numbers, but I'm looking at the proposed budget for 2010. 2009 was $61,150,200 revenue planned. 2010 is $54,848,700 revenue planned Difference of 6,311,500. The budget was cut to meet that number, so the only shortfall I see is the 1/2 mil of the increase. With the fire tax (2 mils) being 7 million, that gives us about 1.7 million short that has to be made up by the increase. Now perhaps there has been a new projection that shows everything lower because the assessments were lower than expected. If so I would expect that it must ha

LOL! :lol: No problem on the knee jerk, that's the way I get my exercise! The return value showing a 10K difference confused me, I'll have to go back and look at my letter.

Little defensive here? He didn't say that they did anything wrong, just if it might be more cost effective if we had own attorneys. It's not like we're a little backwater county any more, I imagine there is enough going on to make it pay off to have a full time attorney on staff rather than paying the markup that *any* firm is going to charge. Be interesting to see an unbiased comparison between the two options. SG

They don't know how much it will be. Until the County and the School board (the majority of the bill) set their rates this summer, they can't calculate anything. Are you in Cobb? SG

Problem is that the county shortfall is not that much. It's only half a mil of tax, about 1.7 million. If your value went down more than 7% you are paying the same county taxes. All the other increases, Bond, School, etc that will bite us, Austin can't do anything about. Can't expect the county to reduce costs to make up for the school system raising the rate. That doesn't make sense in any way. Myself, I hope the school system has some justification for continuing to build schools to beat the band when I don't see that many new houses being built. Do we really have students f

That's my thought. Austin has already cut over 6 million dollars from the budgets. Looking through the budget, already 40 something positions that were planned as needed are not funded and will not be hired in all departments. The entire "PY Fund" of 4.3 million dollars is depleted in this budget. (Though to be fair, I think this fund is already gone, I think it paid the interest on the courthouse) Some of the departments are taking pretty big hits already. One note that was interesting, the Detention Center is getting 441K more this year, but Inmate medical cost is th

Oh yea, I did see that, but I'm uninformed on how that works. Do Cobb and other counties subsidize their EMS services? I don't know. I was assuming it was a pretty universal way of doing things. SG

I was, twice in one week, at a fast food place where I got a "Senior Drink" and at kroger. My 17 YO was there for both and has NOT let it go. SG

Agree completely. After my @#$%@$%@ Epson failed, I went with a Brother All in one with a cartridge for each color and have been very pleased with it. However, for black and white printing, I highly recommend a laser. I have a samsung home laser that that I think I saw on sale now at Frys yesterday for $50. The replacement carts are $80 each, but my first replacement is still going strong months later and I use this for both work and home printing. Just my experience. SG

Since it's Austin's first budget, the "Blame Jerry" works pretty well for me. Jerry is the one that bloated the budget by 7 million dollars two years ago by transferring the fire department money to all the other departments in a free for all when the fire tax was started. Jerry was the one that used up a good hunk of the county reserves to prevent having the courthouse bond payments hit the tax bills this year, reducing Austin's flexibility to pay for services from the reserve until times get better (assuming they do). Agreed, Austin also has to balance services vs the budget

How much percentage wize is that? 7% to 10% seems to be about right for county. SG

Ah, I see. My dad and mom were in the same situation, the only job my dad could find was in LA right after they got married so off they went. Good luck and enjoy the visit.

Sent a PM.

Welcome Back!! Do you have to return or are you done with the great western state?

Hard to focus when the eyes are going too.... where did I put those glasses??....

The only non-SPLOST sales taxes all go to the state. That's the same as all the counties. I'll shop Paulding when it makes sense, I try to eat at Cedarcrest, shop the crossroads Kroger, but only when it makes sense. I'm pretty sure that the Cobb people coming in to Paulding balance out for the most part. Hiram and the Walmart on 120 *are* the closest for them. SG

Are you sure it includes the bond payment? I vaguely remember hearing someone complain that it wasn't covered under the age 65 exemption. Edit: Nevermind - I just looked up the tax record of an older gentleman up the street and indeed all the school stuff is missing. Yea, from my calculations with last years taxes the HOTR was worth about $200 to me. Maybe if Richardson hadn't wasted all his time on his "buy me the Governorship" auto tax plan, he might have been able to save the only *real* relief we had. SG

Last years State Rate: M&O: .25 mil Proposed mil rates for county: M&O: 6.976 mils Bond: 1.6 mils Fire Tax: 2.0 mils School M&O last year was 18.9 mil (May go up this year due to shortages) School Bond last year was 2.96 mil (May go up this year if part II of the 125million bond is sold) So current total rate looks like it's going to be 32 mils, with a jump to 36 mils possible depending on what the school board does. To calculate the tax is a little tricky, you have to take 40% of the total value, then subtract the homestead exemption. (I thi

What they hit me with last year was a land increase. They had been increases the value of the house for years, then decided the house was ok, but the lot had doubled in price. You can go down to the courthouse tax office and ask to see what they changed to see where the value came from. I did and they were very helpful. SG

At least you found the box! I walked out to put some mail in the box one morning and couldn't believe my eyes. No box, no post, no nothing next to my driveway. Neighbors must have had a laugh the way I just turned 'round and 'round trying to figure out where it was. Went to the Depot and bought concrete to put the next one in. SG

It will help if the value goes down, but if the percentage drop in value is less than the percentage they raise the millage rate, you'll still see an increase in the $$$ of tax paid. SG

Not to mention, the price you get at the parts desk may be different than the price you get if have them put it on. I once asked the price for a special headlight lens on my Cavalier that I could only get at Chevy, it was like $130 to buy it. I said forget it, I'll have you guys put it on. Imagine my surprise when the total bill was like $115 installed. I guess the parts dept is expected to make up the lost profit from the mechanics also. SG