City doubles planned property tax rebate for most recipients

Jack R. Jordan and Kevin C. Hall |, The Moultrie Observer, Ga.
·2 min read

Mar. 5—MOULTRIE, Ga. — The City of Moultrie has reevaluated its property tax rebate plan, and recipients will be pleased.

City council approved the plan Jan. 5 to give a 50% rebate on the 2020 city property tax paid by homeowners over age 65. The one-time rebate is paid for from a federal reimbursement for money the city spent fighting coronavirus, primarily for overtime paid to emergency workers.

On Tuesday, March 2, City Manager Pete Dillard told city council that 632 Moultrie homeowners had met the criteria for the rebate, but he urged the council to take it even further by rebating the entire tax payment for most of the people.

The new plan allows a rebate of 100% of the homeowner's 2020 city property tax up to $599. If the tax bill was more than $599, the homeowner is entitled to a rebate of $599 or of 50% of the tax bill, whichever is greater.

Dillard proposed the $599 cutoff because if the city sends a homeowner a tax rebate of $600 or more, the city must notify the IRS and the homeowner must file it as income in his 2021 income taxes.

Dillard's proposal was unanimously approved by the council at Tuesday night's meeting.

Only 13 residents will receive a payout greater than $599 and 76 of exactly $599.

A rebate calculation provided to the council members Tuesday indicated the overall payout will be $192,389.

"All the data is currently being input into our systems," Dillard said.

Dillard said checks are going to be sent out March 19 and residents should be expecting them within the week following.

Also at Tuesday's meeting, the city council approved the upgrade of a cell tower by Verizon Wireless. The cell equipment is located on one of the city's water towers. The routine upgrade will be at no cost to the city.