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:: Chatham County ::

Government

Quick Facts
2004 Population
238,518
2006 Job Tax Credit Tier
3
2005 Tax Millage Rate
n/a
Legal Organ
Savannah Morning News
Form of Government
Manager
Service Delivery Region
Region 12
Congressional and Legislative Districts





  • Chatham County collected $198.4 million in total revenues in 2000. In 2004, the county received $197.4 million, a decrease of 0.5%. Total revenue in 2004 equaled $836 per capita. The statewide revenue per capita for this same year was $736.
  • From 2000 to 2004, own source revenues for Chatham County rose from $163.5 million to $175.5 million, an increase of 7.4%. Own source revenues include revenues from property taxes, sales taxes, and excise and special use taxes. Per capita own source revenues amounted to $743 in 2004. This compares to a statewide per capita amount of $631.
  • The county collected an average of $329 per capita in property taxes during the past five years. This amount was less than the average of $333 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 48.0% of the county's own source revenue during the period of 2000 to 2004.
  • General operating expenditures for Chatham County in 2000 equaled $106.0 million, or $457 per capita. By 2004, general operating expenditures increased by 34.8% to $142.8 million, or $616 per capita. General operating expenditures per capita for counties with similarly-sized populations was $692 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, Chatham County spent $39.4 million or 25.6% of total county spending on public safety which includes law enforcement, fire services and jails. Expenditures for administration totaled $22.1 million, amounting to 14.4% of total expenditures. The county expended $18.3 million or 11.9% of total expenditures on health and human services.
  • From 2000 to 2004, Chatham County had an average of $58.4 million in long-term debt outstanding, resulting in an average per capita debt of $249. This amount was less than the $718 per capita average of counties with similarly-sized populations.
      

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