Inclement weather announcement

The Decatur Revenue Division (tax office) is open today during regular hours 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., although we may have limited staffing from 2:00 p.m. through 5:00 p.m. depending on weather conditions.  Tentatively we plan to open late tomorrow at 10:00 a.m., although conditions may change.  If you need immediate tax or business license information after hours, please use our website at www.decaturgatax.com.

The DeKalb County tax commissioner's office and tax assessors office are closed today, but their tax records are available online at www.dekalbcountyga.gov/taxcommissioner or by calling 404-298-4000.

Tax office open on Columbus Day

While the post office, state agencies, and most banks will be closed, City Hall will be open for business as usual on Monday, October 13. City Schools of Decatur and DeKalb County offices will be open as well.

Decatur property tax resources

City Hall will be closed tomorrow for Independence Day.  The Revenue Division and all other non-public safety operations of the City will also be closed on Friday, July 5.

If need tax information during that time, please use our website at http://www.decaturgatax.com/ where you can look up tax records for any property within city limits.  The website also allows you to print a tax bill, a receipt, make a payment with a convenience fee, or access commercial sanitation accounts.  If you're having trouble finding a record, please be sure to look at the "Search Tips" box to the right of where you enter the information you're keying in.  The tips looks like this:

If you're searching by property ID, please use spaces but not hyphens.  If searching by address, do not use punctuation.  If you've tried those techniques without success, the property may not be in the City of Decatur.  Most Decatur properties have a ZIP code of 30030.

General information about Decatur's tax bills can also be found here.  If you also need information about a DeKalb County tax bill, which is a separate bill from Decatur's, you can visit http://web.co.dekalb.ga.us/TaxCommissioner/tc-home.html.

Most common business license fee in Decatur: $255

Although some businesses in Decatur are required to pay up to $485 per year for their business license, the majority of local businesses are charged a $230 occupational tax plus a $25 administrative fee as “Class 2” businesses under the city’s occupation tax ordinances.  About 245 of Decatur’s 510 local businesses (excluding home-based businesses, professionals such as doctors and architects, and insurance carriers) fall under Class 2, which includes most restaurants and many retailers.

The city’s occupational tax rates are based on profitability ratios.  The concept is that, generally speaking, businesses in lines of work that are more profitable are expected to pay a higher occupation tax rate that businesses that are less profitable.

More information on Decatur’s business licensing fees can be found on our website here.  The deadline for businesses to pay for a 2013 license is this Wednesday.

Business license renewals due in 10 days

Each business in Decatur must renew its business license for 2013 by paying its annual occupation tax bill by Jan. 31.  Bills were originally mailed on Nov. 30.

In addition to the renewal payment, state law also requires businesses to file two notarized immigration-related affidavits (SAVE and E-verify) annually with the city they receive their license from.  You can submit your payment and affidavits by mail to P.O. Box 220, Decatur, GA  30031 or in person at 509 N. McDonough St.

If you did not receive your bill, or if you received a bill but are no longer doing business in the city, please let us know.

Occupation tax bills in Decatur can range from $195 up to $460 annually.  Unlike many local governments in Georgia that tax businesses on their gross receipts, Decatur uses a simpler system of six flat rates.  Revenues from occupation taxes go to the City’s general fund, which is used to provide quality services to the public.

More information about business licensing in Decatur can be found on our website here.  Decatur’s business license rules apply to persons, partnerships, corporations and other entities including home-based businesses, state-licensed professionals, insurance carriers, and regular businesses.  City ordinances require local businesses to display their license in a place that’s easy to see.

Thanks to all our occupational taxpayers for choosing to do business in the City of Decatur!

Welcome aboard, Tanya Sims!

If you paid your property taxes in person this installment, you probably noticed a new employee at the window.  Tanya Sims has joined the City’s workforce after serving five years at the Fulton County tax commissioner’s office handling property tax, motor vehicle tax, and front line customer service.  We are fortunate to have an employee with her expertise and experience, but we’re even more excited her charm and positive attitude.

We chose Tanya out of 150 applicants this summer after a rigorous selection process that included and a phone interview, an in-person panel interview, a written/math assessment, and background and reference checks.  Tanya is looking forward to working one more month with us to complete her initial six-month evaluation period.  She intends to stay with the City as long as possible, which means "till y'all get rid of me!" she says.

Like all of our Revenue staff, Tanya handles customer service, processes tax payments, homestead exemptions, deposits, and permit payments.  Tanya will also have the opportunity to work closely with businesses on their occupation tax and annual license renewals like Kate Hall, the employee she replaced.

Tanya has always enjoyed spending time in Decatur, which was part of the reason that she applied for this position.  A DeKalb County resident, Tanya has a son who participates in City of Decatur basketball programs.  Tanya has previously served as a volunteer during the Decatur Tour of Homes.

Please join me in welcoming her to the team!

Thanks, Bina!

Visitors to the tax office may have met a new face at the Revenue Division over the summer.  Bina Desai, a Randstad employee who has temped for several departments within the City, began working half-days for us after Kate's departure while we searched for a permanent hire. 

Bina recently finished working for us after several months, but she has temped for the city over a year and a half, including stints with Public Works, Development, the city clerk's office, the DDA, a mostly the city manager's office.  Her familiarity with other departments was a tremendous asset to us during her time in Revenue, and she did a great job.

Bina is a Decatur local and earned a degree in architecture from Georgia Tech.  We hope to continue to be able to bring Bina back from time to time to help with special projects and to supplement coverage when we're short-staffed.

Thank you, Bina, for your service to our department and to the taxpayers of Decatur!

Shaun Shabazz recognized for 20+ years of service

During the annual State of the City address in March 2012, Mayor Bill Floyd recognized long-term employees, including our own senior revenue officer, Shaun Shabazz.

Honorees at State of City (Shaun Shabazz, far left)

While presenting her with a 20-year service pin, the mayor quipped, “Shaun is one of those lovely people you go to see to complain about your taxes.”

Afterward, Shaun said that “it says a lot for the city” to give public recognition to long-time employees.  Shaun also says that one of her biggest contributions over the years has been assisting the elderly with their taxes.

Shaun began working for the city in 1991 as a dispatcher at the police department.  She’s been in the tax department in 1996.

Tax office open this Saturday

One-time special Revenue Division hours

The City of Decatur property tax office, open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., will also be open this Saturday, May 5, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. These office hours will offer more opportunities for one-on-one customer service to the public–especially for taxpayers who aren’t able to stop by during the regular work week.

If you have a property tax issue, a homestead exemption question, a business license matter, or need to make a payment, please come by 509 North McDonough Street and enter through the front door of City Hall. The tax office is on the first floor to your left. No appointments are needed.

We will also take phone calls this Saturday:  404-370-4100.

Job opportunity open in Revenue Division

The City of Decatur is now considering applicants for our vacant Revenue Officer position.

Until now, there have been no vacancies in this position for the last 12 years, so this is a rare opportunity.

If you know a qualified person who would be interested in applying to join our team, please encourage them to read the job announcement and apply for the position.

Customer service skills are a must, and a property tax background is preferred.  Decatur often receives national recognition for local government excellence, so many applicants have already expressed their interest in this position, and we expect many more up through the May 9 deadline.

Revenue Officer leaves City Hall

One of our Revenue Officers, Kate Hall, has resigned to pursue other opportunities.

Kate began working for the City in 1999. She was an occupation tax specialist, and held certifications from state and national business license associations in addition to her accounting degree.

Kate told her colleagues, “It has been a pleasure working here at the City. Words cannot express my regret to say goodbye. But it is time for me to spread my wings and fly.”

About 20 city employees and friends including Mayor Bill Floyd and City Manager Peggy Merriss attended a recent farewell luncheon for Kate to wish her well.

Thank you for your service, Kate, and good luck with your next endeavor!

Kate Hall and Mayor Bill Floyd

Revenue office changes in the New Year

Shaun Shabazz did a great job running the Revenue Division while I was on military leave over the past year.  She conducted successful tax billings during the second installment of 2010 and both installments of 2011.  Shaun also managed a highly effective delinquent collections process that resulted in no homes having to be at a tax sale while simultaneously achieving a very high real estate property tax collection rate!

Thank you, Shaun!

Holly Jackson served as a revenue clerk in the office for the year, and she did a great job as well.  Her smiling face and warm presence won accolades from customers and co-workers alike.  We are saddened to see her leave our little office, but are glad that she’s still here in City Hall working in the Development Department now.

Lastly, I’d like to thank the City of Decatur and my supervisor, assistant city manager Andrea Arnold, for their support for my deployment and facilitating my re-entry to civilian life here.  I’m looking forward to getting reacquainted with the public throughout the New Year!

Changes in the Revenue Division

Please join me in congratulating Shaun Shabazz who will serve as Revenue Manager while I’m away from the office on an extended basis. Shaun has been working for the City of Decatur since 1991, and for the tax office since 1996. Shaun has been the Senior Revenue Officer here for four years, and the person who I always relied on the most.

Shaun Shabazz

Shaun has a great smile & laugh, which is why I'm a little embarrassed that the only recent photo I had of her when I prepared this post was from the day of our tax sale in August when nobody was happy!

Anyway, Shaun and I have been working for several weeks to ensure as smooth a changeover as possible, and I am grateful to city management for supporting this transition. Nobody could do a better job than Shaun will do in her new role. Congratulations, Shaun!

Also, after a very competitive hiring process, Holly Jackson is joining the Revenue Division as our new, temporary full-time revenue clerk. Holly is a Decatur resident, a former teller with Wachovia locally, and she is the mother of one Decatur High School graduate and of another child who is still in the City of Decatur school system. We are fortunate to gain somebody with Holly’s financial and customer service background—welcome, Holly!

Holly Jackson

10+ years of service!

Two Revenue Division employees were honored earlier this summer for over ten years of service to the City of Decatur. Kate Hall and Gina Amos began working for the City over a decade ago in what was then called the “Tax Department” (now officially referred to as the Revenue Division).  City Manager Peggy Merriss presented both employees with 10-year service pins and a certificate of recognition.

Kate Hall (above right) started working for the City in September 1999. Kate has an accounting degree from Bethune-Cookman College. She is our occupation tax expert, and is certified by GABTO and NBBLO, the state and national associations of business licensing officials. What Kate enjoys most about her job is working with seniors.

Gina Amos (above right), a Georgia native and a proud mother of three wonderful children, began as a temporary hire in September 1999 and became a permanent employee three months later. Gina has personal experience in real estate investment and foreclosed properties, and has received collections law training—both of which make her an asset to the office for property tax collections. Gina is co-chair of the entrepreneur club at Kingdom Building Ministries. What Gina likes the most about working for the City of Decatur is helping customers solve problems.

Although I’ve worked with them for only a portion of their careers with the City, I can say that Kate and Gina are both great to work with. Collecting taxes is challenging work, and it’s to Kate and Gina’s credit that they have persevered for over a decade. I may be their direct supervisor, but I have much to learn from them. To echo what Peggy said, thank you, Gina & Kate, for your service!

Two tax offices?

Property owners in Decatur owe property taxes to two entities: to DeKalb County and to the City of Decatur. Your city property tax payments fund the operations of city government (including police, fire, public works, and other services) and the City of Decatur school system.

Dealing with both the county and the city on property tax issues can be confusing for new residents. Homebuyers sometimes report to us that they only knew about the county’s tax bill or that they only knew about the city’s tax bill. Some are quite surprised to get two bills! (Or actually three tax statements since the City bills in two installments.) Real estate agents and closing attorneys who let their clients know about this dual-billing up front can help prevent disputes later on about who set aside how much for taxes at closing.

Separate tax authorities also means that homestead exemptions are filed separately. As I’ve noted before, new owners that reside in their homes (not for investment or commercial property) need to file for homestead exemption once with both the DeKalb County Tax Commissioner and with the City of Decatur Revenue Division.

We do not have separate appraisal departments. DeKalb County determines all the fair market value for properties in the county, including properties within the city limits of Decatur. We receive those values from DeKalb County in an annual property tax digest. We have no discretion to change values established by the county. By our ordinances, the City applies an assessment of 50 percent to the fair market values established by the County (while Georgia counties use a 40 percent assessment for their own billing). Appeals can only be filed with DeKalb County.

If DeKalb County reassesses your property, they will forward the new values to our office. You will be re-billed or your new value will be reflected on your second installment city bill depending on when we receive the updated value from the County. Either way your overall tax liability for the year will be based off of the new assessed value.

To summarize:

Frequently asked owner questions	Decatur or Dekalb?
Who determines my property value?	DeKalb County
Where do I file for homestead exemption?	City of Decatur and DeKalb County separately
Who handles property appeals/reassessments?	DeKalb County
Who bills for property taxes?	City of Decatur and DeKalb County separately

When in doubt, give us a call and we'll be happy to steer you in the right direction!

The end of grace?

Second installment property tax bills were due on December 21, so the final weeks of December were a busy time for Decatur’s taxpayers and tax office.

The good news for anybody who wasn’t able to make that original deadline is that we offered a two week grace period for payments during which no penalties or interest was charged.

However, the grace period ends tomorrow. Penalty and interest will be charged against unpaid amounts after Jan. 7.

City launches new blog

A major principle of the City of Decatur’s strategic plan is to encourage community interaction and maximize communication between residents, businesses, and government.

With that in mind, the Revenue Division (tax office) at City Hall is launching its own blog right here at decaturtax.blogspot.com.  We're following in the footsteps of trendsetting City blogs from the Community & Economic Development Department (The Decatur Minute) and Active Living Department (231 Sycamore St.).

We will offer fresh, informative, non-partisan content about tax and housing developments to City residents. We'll also provide timely reminders about tax deadlines for homeowners, local and national news on property taxes and real estate, topical educational posts about your tax bill, and special announcements.

We also hope to hear back from you and keep the conversation a two-way street. We welcome your feedback, concerns, and questions about property taxes, or just suggestions on ways to improve this blog.

A few words about what this blog is not: this blog will in not be a political platform or forum about tax rates. For concerns about tax rates I would encourage you to contact your elected officials or visit privately-run blogs. Also, the information provided on these pages shall in no way constitute legal advice about your individual tax circumstances. Please seek the advice of a tax professional for dicey personal situations.

For those of you who prefer to get your tax information in person, of course we’re still open for business! We look forward to hearing from you by phone, fax, email, in person, or now through this blog.