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:: Ben Hill County ::

Government

Quick Facts
2004 Population
17,343
2006 Job Tax Credit Tier
1
2005 Tax Millage Rate
28.53
Legal Organ
The Herald Leader
Form of Government
Commission-Manager
Service Delivery Region
Region 11
Congressional and Legislative Districts





  • Ben Hill County collected $9.6 million in total revenues in 2000. In 2004, the county received $10.5 million, an increase of 9.6%. Total revenue in 2004 equaled $607 per capita. The statewide revenue per capita for this same year was $736.
  • From 2000 to 2004, own source revenues for Ben Hill County rose from $8.8 million to $10.2 million, an increase of 15.3%. Own source revenues include revenues from property taxes, sales taxes, and excise and special use taxes. Per capita own source revenues amounted to $586 in 2004. This compares to a statewide per capita amount of $631.
  • The county collected an average of $233 per capita in property taxes during the past five years. This amount was less than the average of $240 per capita collected by counties with similarly-sized populations. For the same period, the average per capita amount of county property tax collected in Georgia was $288. On average, property taxes accounted for 44.0% of the county's own source revenue during the period of 2000 to 2004.
  • General operating expenditures for Ben Hill County in 2000 equaled $7.0 million, or $399 per capita. By 2004, general operating expenditures increased by 17.2% to $8.2 million, or $468 per capita. General operating expenditures per capita for counties with similarly-sized populations was $533 in 2004. The statewide average was $626 per capita during the same period.
  • Historically, the top three expenditure categories for counties are public safety, administration, and health and human services. In 2004, Ben Hill County spent $2.2 million or 23.2% of total county spending on public safety which includes law enforcement, fire services and jails. Expenditures for administration totaled $1.6 million, amounting to 17.2% of total expenditures. The county expended $1.2 million or 12.9% of total expenditures on health and human services.
  • From 2000 to 2004, Ben Hill County had an average of $786,000 in long-term debt outstanding, resulting in an average per capita debt of $45. This amount was less than the $193 per capita average of counties with similarly-sized populations.
      

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