At least one city will consider severing its relationship with the Gwinnett County tax commissioner, regardless of the outcome of a bill that seeks to stop her from personally profiting from collecting local cities’ taxes.
The Lilburn city council Monday will consider bringing the work in-house. The proposal would mean the city is collecting property taxes and streetlight and solid waste fees, instead of contracting with the county to do it for them.
The state legislature passed a law that would prohibit Gwinnett Tax Commissioner Tiffany Porter from negotiating with Lilburn and other cities after she proposed raising the rates for tax collection to include a $2-per-parcel fee that would go to her directly. The governor has yet to sign the law.
Lilburn paid $9,518 to the county for its taxes to be collected in 2020, but the new proposal would have cost the city more than $20,000.
Instead, the city is considering a contract that would cost $37,831 this year and $11,250 in 2022 to do the work without the county’s help.
“At a point, a city would like to be independent of the people doing things for them,” Lilburn Mayor Tim Dunn said. “Lilburn has grown up now.”
Dunn said the city would gain control and self sufficiency by taking tax collection into their own hands, regardless of whether Gov. Brian Kemp signs the bill to limit Porter’s ability to charge a commission. Dunn said he expects the city council to agree to the change.
“We know we can do it ourself,” he said.
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