On Monday night, Habersham County’s fiscal year 2026 budget was adopted by all commissioners with the exception of Vice Chairman Bruce Harkness. During the public hearing section of the meeting, none of the approximately 20 county residents moved to speak.
The ultimate approved budget was $80.37 million, a 5.23% reduction from the budget for the prior year.
Harkness said the county’s finance department might have reduced the budget by finding more expenses. He pointed out that the Recreation Department’s increased funding for dugout roof repairs at Clarkesville’s Aquatic Center Sports Complex and Diamond Memorial Park needed to be revised.
He stated that the private sector, not the government, should provide the project’s funding. It would be a pleasure to assist in the construction of new dugouts. I would even provide money. Therefore, rather than using taxes to pay for these projects, we should look into ways that corporations may support them.
In the past, Habersham’s airport, landfill, public works, road department, and fleet services were all run by a single individual, according to Harkness, who reportedly earned $84,000 annually. He compared that sum with the $100,000 he says managers and assistant managers now earn annually.
“I love our employees, but I also work for the thirty thousand voters here,” he added, acknowledging that I work for the staff.
Harkness said that he watches out for those who are less fortunate.
There will be a lot of irate individuals come November if taxes continue to be raised by 4% annually, he said.
Commissioner Ty Akins, on the other hand, stated that he was really happy with the budget.
According to Akins, Tim has performed admirably in his role as county manager and addressed all of my queries and worries. I’m not sure whether there was anything more that could have been done to arrange a meeting.
The amount of taxes that people will have to pay in the upcoming year is still unknown. During the meeting, County Manager Tim Sims stated that although the tax digest was scheduled for Friday, the vendor in charge of operating the tax assessment software had inadvertently expanded the county’s exemptions as a result of GA House Bill 581. Sims did not specify when the digest would be finished once the exemptions were resolved.
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Habersham commissioners consider objectives and spending reductions in the proposed budget for 2026.
