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:: Lamar County ::

Government

Quick Facts
2004 Population
16,410
2006 Job Tax Credit Tier
2
2005 Tax Millage Rate
23.72
Legal Organ
The Herald Gazette
Form of Government
Commission-Administrator
Service Delivery Region
Region 4
Congressional and Legislative Districts





  • Lamar County collected $6.4 million in total revenues in 2000. In 2004, the county received $7.5 million, an increase of 17.0%. Total revenue in 2004 equaled $455 per capita. The statewide revenue per capita for this same year was $736.
  • From 2000 to 2004, own source revenues for Lamar County rose from $5.5 million to $6.1 million, an increase of 11.1%. Own source revenues include revenues from property taxes, sales taxes, and excise and special use taxes. Per capita own source revenues amounted to $373 in 2004. This compares to a statewide per capita amount of $631.
  • The county collected an average of $187 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 56.0% of the county's own source revenue during the period of 2000 to 2004.
  • General operating expenditures for Lamar County in 2000 equaled $5.3 million, or $334 per capita. By 2004, general operating expenditures increased by 26.8% to $6.7 million, or $424 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, Lamar County spent $2.4 million or 35.2% of total county spending on public safety which includes law enforcement, fire services and jails. Expenditures for administration totaled $642,864, amounting to 9.5% of total expenditures. The county expended $760,076 or 11.2% of total expenditures on health and human services.
  • From 2000 to 2004, Lamar County had no long-term debt outstanding. Counties with similarly-sized populations held an average of $192.82 per capita during the period.
      

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