Atlanta Public Library Officials lie to the public –

Logan Co. (ECWd) –

Atlanta Public Library officials lie to the public.

During the August meeting, the President of the Library Board stated that the only way they can raise your taxes is by a referendum (Video of first lie @ 26:02), which they claim they did in 2012.  Taking issue with their claims, I confronted them during the September meeting (video of the second set of lies at the 5:33 mark),  and both the President and Librarian attempted to educate me on property taxes, a matter I assured them I understood quite well.

They have claimed there has been no increase in property taxes levied, and that any increase in tax revenue came because of the Equalized Assessed Value going up each year, not because of any request for more taxes on their part.

Once again, we have to expose these people for lying to the public.  I requested the last 3 years of filed property tax levies.

Contrary to their claim, the Atlanta Public Library trustees have in fact requested more tax money each of the last three years. What they have done is something we have written about before and this once again validates why this state is in the trouble it is in.

The law permits them to raise your taxes every year without a truth in taxation hearing, provided it is not more than 105% higher (update: unless it is in a PTELL County – which would tie it to the CPI – Logan County falls under PTELL) than the previous years levy.  However, they have actually exceed that limitation two of the three years and only held the required hearing once. Although the overage is very minor, the fact remains, the request was more than the 105% increase limitation (and more than the CPI).

That little known 5% increase every year has become the norm with public bodies to the point they add it in and then tell people they did not raise their taxes because in many cases, they actualy believe they did not raise them.  Please don’t ask us to explain such ignorance.

Why they would claim they have not raised the levy when their own paperwork proves otherwise is troubling. Their claim that they have not raised the rate, which is the multiplier used against the assessed value may be true, however, their request for tax funds has, in fact, increased each of the last three years, contrary to their claim otherwise

• October 20, 2014 – $136,400.00
• October 5, 2015 – $143,235.00
• December 23, 2016  -$150,400.00

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