BUDD: City property taxes are too high

Published 7:00 am Wednesday, October 7, 2020

I own several properties in Valdosta and a few in Glynn County. One property in Valdosta 0112C 027 on Emory Drive has a value of $89,838. The property tax is $1,276.30. That is 1.42% of the value. 

The same property in Glynn County with the same value would have a property Tax of $934.31. That is $341.99 less. That is 26.79% more property tax in Valdosta city versus Glynn County. Valdosta needs to cut expenses. Valdosta needs to eliminate the code enforcement department completely and reduce zoning to one administrator and one assistant.

Valdosta was business friendly prior to 2008. What happened? The land development regulations were adopted without a vote by the citizens. No referendum. 

Since 2008, property taxes in the city have risen by 40%. That same property on Emory Drive in 2007 had a property tax of $898.38. 1%. One percent.

Here is the Golden Rule handed down to all real estate investors: “In order to earn money in real estate investing, the property taxes must never be more than 1% of the value in a year, and the insurance must never cost more than one month’s rent collected.”

Please join me in asking our city officials to make Valdosta business friendly again! Abandon the LDR (land development regulations). Then, return to a smaller, more efficient service-delivery government which means lower property taxes for all property owners.

Roger Budd Jr. , Valdosta High School class of 1968; UGA class of 1972.