Justin Page
BANKRUPTCY OF ALMOST 1 MILLION – How can we trust him to be fiscally responsible with our tax dollars if he cannot manage his personal finances? Three vehicles were repossessed, Lexus SC420, Cadillac Escalade, Ford 150 Cargo Van. His home was turned back to the mortgage company, avoiding a formal foreclosure.
SLIDESHOW OF DOCUMENTS BELOW.
CRIMINAL ACT – STALKING, RESTRAINING ORDER – THE CASE WAS TREATED AS AN EMERGENCY – SHE FEARED FOR HER LIFE
SLIDESHOW OF DOCUMENTS BELOW.
Criminal Charge – Brittney Page – (Justin Page’s wife) Normally actions by family members should never be made public in a campaign, however; in this case the candidate, Justin Page was complicit. Brittney Page was charged with Computer Trespass, a felony. She used her access to the state law enforcement records during her employment with the City of Woodstock Police Department to obtain background reports on people that applied for a job with her husband and his company, Page Relocation. This shows abuse of power and a willingness to break the law.
JUSTIN PAGE HAD PLANS TO RUN FOR CORONER IN 2020, BUT BACKED OUT BEFORE QUALIFYING.
MULTIPLE COMPANIES – Optim Properties is of concern, what are his plans if he should become the next county commissioner of District 1. Does he have plans for more land deals or possibly developing property? Page formed Optim Properties in 2017. When he registered the company with the Secretary of State, he listed an address owned by another person as the business address. That person sold their residence, yet Page continued to use that address for two years after the people sold the house. We wonder if the new owners of this residence were aware that their home was listed with the secretary of state as the principle address for Optim Properties. He finally changed the company address to his home address two years ago. His companies were administratively dissolved multiple times for failing to file his annual reports with the Georgia Secretary of State. Annual registrations are a simple form to confirm basic company information such as address, name of registered agent, etc. If he has trouble with a simple task; how would he be able to handle the responsibilities of a county commissioner?
SLIDESHOW OF DOCUMENTS BELOW.
Statements Made by Justin Page
Stop Over-development
Solution offered by Page: Do not allow building permits until the infrastructure is improved to support new businesses and homes. The county has the ability to place a short-term moratorium on issuing building permits in areas where infrastructure improvements are in progress, but they cannot legally impose a long-term moratorium county wide.
The county has managed growth by adhering to the land use plan since 2007. The increased growth rate continued to 2010 from developments that were approved prior to 2007. Overdevelopment has occurred in the cities that have annexed into rural areas, resulting in high-density developments. The county does not have the ability to control growth in the cities. Growth boundary agreements have been established between the commissioners and each city.
No More Backroom Developer Deals in Cherokee County
Cherokee County does not engage in any backroom developer deals. Approval of any development requires a majority vote of three commissioners. Meetings between three or more commissioners and anyone else are advertised and open to the public. Ex- parte meetings with the developer are prohibited. Changes to Article 18 were approved by the commissioners on September 15, 2020, which increased transparency in the zoning process. Before the Board of Commissioners votes on a motion to approve a more intense zoning district than recommended by the Planning Commission, the Board of Commissioners will first schedule and hold an additional public hearing.
Stop Raising Property Taxes
NOT TRUE. Despite the value of homes in Cherokee County having doubled over the past 5 years, the county portion of property taxes has not seen much of an increase. The school taxes account for about two-thirds of the property taxes, and those taxes have gone up. The school board approves the school taxes set by the superintendent. School taxes or operations are not within the jurisdiction of the county commissioners.
In 2008, the commissioners approved a floating homestead exemption, also known as a tax freeze for the M&O portion of property taxes. Your exemption was increased to counteract the increase in value as your assessment increased. If you were to look back at prior tax bills you would see very little if any change to the M & O portion of your property tax bill, even though most homes more than doubled over the last 5 years. The floating homestead exemption doesn't apply to the fire tax, and as the fire department has expanded to support the increase in population, taxes have risen. The fire department was able to achieve ISO rating 2 with the addition of personnel and equipment, which has resulted in a reduction in your homeowners insurance rate.
Millage Rate History – Last 10 Years
Average Home in Cherokee County (actual home) – County Property Taxes for 10 Years
As you can see, this home more than doubled in assessed value yet the M & O portion of the property tax only increased by $37.63.
Increase Exemptions for Seniors and Veterans
The County has additional homestead exemptions in place for seniors, disabled veterans, widows of disabled veterans, and low-income residents over 62. To view the available options, visit https://www.cherokeecountyga.gov/Tax-Assessors-Office/homestead-exemptions/.
Work with the School Board to Lower Taxes
The Cherokee County Government does not have jurisdiction over the school district, which is a separate government entity. The School Board is asked to approve the budget and requested millage rate by the superintendent.
Launch Independent Performance Audits
The county undergoes two audits every year. The county website provides access to the audits and budget. The county has received awards from the state for transparency.
Citizen oversight over spending and zoning
The county website provides access to the budgets for review. Every expenditure is approved by the commissioners in a public meeting, which can be viewed in person, watched on video, or read the minutes. The planning commission is composed of citizens who review each case and present their recommendations to the board of commissioners. Additionally, every case has a public hearing where citizens can voice their opinions either against or in favor of the re-zoning request.
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