1. Posted Jan 20, 2018 by Martin Armstrong
“IN ALL OF HISTORY, NO GOVERNMENT BECAME MORE HONEST, LESS CORRUPT OR RESPECTED ITS CITIZENS RIGHTS MORE AS IT GREW IN SIZE”
Posted Jan 20, 2018 by Martin Armstrong

2. What image comes to your mind when you think of Savannah?

3. SAVANNAH

4. What image comes to your mind when you think of Tybee?

5. TYBEE

6. What image comes to your mind when you think of our Islands?

7. OUR ISLANDS

8. WHY DID YOU MOVE TO THE ISLANDS AND WHY DO YOU STAY HERE ON THE ISLANDS?
Quality of Life!
Less Crime – safe place to live
Great Place for kids and grand children
Convenience – located between downtown and the beach
Less Traffic – away from the hubbub of the city
Our beautiful waterways and marshes

9. Together we can build a better community and improve the quality of life on our islands.

10. CONSOLIDATION or INCORPORATION

11. What is consolidation
When a state government combines all municipalities and Un- Incorporated areas of a county into 1 government and dissolve all municipal governments. Creating a new giant government.

12. The consolidation movement has begun:
The Savannah Economic Development Authority and The Chamber of Commerce are pushing for funding of a feasibility study for the Consolidation of Un- Incorporated Chatham County and The City of Savannah through the state legislature

13. STATE PROPOSAL TO CONSOLIDATE
To Combine UN-Incorporated Chatham County 99,000 People All Chatham Municipalities 46,500 People Total 145,000 People with the City of Savannah 147,000 People For one large government to represent Everyone within Chatham County

14. Why Combine Governments?
MONEY
and
VOTES

15. MONEY and VOTES
Our small percentage of votes will have little impact on what the new governments wants to do and may have a huge impact on our tax dollars.

16. County consists of 8 Incorporated Cities and Un–Incorporated Chatham County
Each municipality will get a vote to consolidate

17. Percentage of the Population
Present county government the Islands are 25%
Proposed Consolidation the Islands are10% or Less

18. Do you receive 25% of the county’s attention or service?
25 PERCENT
Islanders are 25% of the population and pay an estimated 25% of the property tax used for un-incorporated Chatham County services
Do you receive 25% of the county’s attention or service?

19. If the Consolidation Vote Fails?
You can bet your bottom Dollar it will come up again and again until it passes, just like:
Macon Bibb Consolidation Voted 5 times
Athens Clarke Consolidation Voted 4 times
Richmond Augusta Voted numerous times
Columbus Muskogee Voted numerous times

20. Options
Wait and hope the consolidation vote fails and continues to fail
Look to incorporate and stay independent of the consolidation, keeping our unique island lifestyle

21. What is incorporation?
When an area/neighborhood votes to become independent and manage their taxes and services
Can only happen in Un-Incorporated areas

22. ISLANDS
ESTIMATED POPULATION of the ISLANDS
Approximate Population 24,500
Talahi 1, Sq. Miles
Wilmington 15, Sq. Miles
Whitemarsh 6, Sq. Miles
Other 1,500 (includes Oatland Island)
Approximately 25 Percent of the population of Un Incorporated Chatham County lives on the Islands

23. Incorporation Percentage
Incorporated into our own new city Islanders are100 %
Keeping your tax dollars here in our community

24. How do we decide what to do?
FUND THE FEASIBILITY STUDY
DONATE
FILL OUT THE LETTER TO YOUR REPRESENTATIVES
SIGN THE PETITION
TELL YOUR NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS
NO STUDY = NO CHOICE

25. Feasibility Study
The study is required by the State to see if the tax revenue is sufficient to operate as an independent city without raising taxes.
The study is required by the state to be completed by the University of Georgia or Georgia State University.
The study costs an estimated $30,000.

26. Feasibility Study
The study, once funded, takes approximately 6 months to complete
If we want to choose a different path from consolidation, we need to raise $30,000 as soon as possible

27. Present Taxes Presently your tax bill is divided into 4 funds:
1. County M&O (maintenance and operation)
Mils
2. County School Board
Mils
County Special District Fund
4.130 Mils
Chatham Area Transit
1.150 Mil.

28. Comparison Savannah Vs Chatham County
Unincorporated County
County Mils
School Mils
Transit Mils
SSD
Total Mils
County Mils
School Mils
Transit Mils
SSD
City
Total Mils

29. Together we can build a better community and improve the quality of life on our islands.

30. INCORPORATE
Become a Independent City
KEEPING OUR TAX DOLLARS LOCAL

31. Taxes for the New City
If we Incorporated as a city, our city would operate and provide services by using the SPECIAL SERVICES DISTRICT FUND
4.130 Mils
The County would still get its Mils to operate and provide services.
The School Board still gets it Mils
CAT still gets it mil

32. Taxes for the New City
There are numerous funding mechanisms that will provide income to support the city

33. Other Sources of Income
Ad Valorem taxes
Licenses and Permits
Sales Tax
L.O.S.T. Local Option Sales Tax
S.P.L.O.S.T Special Local Option Sales Tax

34. Food For Thought

35. Special District Fund
2017 – 2018 County SSD tax revenue Approximately $34,000,000 Divided by 99,000 Unincorporated County Population is $343 per person 25,000 Island Residents = Approximately 8.5 million dollars

36. Skidaway Island Comparison
Skidaway Island Revenue
is estimated at 6 MILLION Dollars
with approximately 6000 residents
based on their state study

37. City of Pooler Comparison
Pooler Population is approximately 22,000
Revenue for 2017 was about $20 Million
Rated in the 40 Safest Cities in Georgia
Estimated from 2017 Proposed Pooler Budget

38. Garden City Tax Revenue
2017 Tax Revenue – 9 Million
Population Approximately - 8,800

39. Port Wentworth Tax Revenue
2016 Tax Revenue – 8.7 Million
Population – Approximately 7,000
Rated #21 in the safest cities in Georgia

40. Thunderbolt Approximate Tax Revenue 3 Million
Population – Approximately 2,800

41. 2018 Revenue approximately 187 Million
City of Savannah
Approximately 147,000 people
2018 Revenue approximately 187 Million

42. Population and total tax revenue correlation
Are you seeing a trend?
Population and total tax revenue correlation
24,500 people – $ 24,500,000
Is It Possible?

43. WE WILL HAVE THE ANSWERS WHEN WE GET OUR FEASIBILITY STUDY!

44. NO STUDY
NO CHOICE

45. MYTHS
The three mile rule no longer applies. This was discarded in 2005
Being separated by waterways does not apply to the consolidation process.

46. OUR ISLANDS

47. Together we can build a better community and improve the quality of life on our islands.

48. NO STUDY = NO CHOICE FUND THE FEASIBILITY STUDY DONATE
FILL OUT THE LETTER TO YOUR REPRESENTATIVES
SIGN THE PETITION
TELL YOUR NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS
NO STUDY = NO CHOICE