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The Chambers County Commission held a public hearing prior to its Monday work session to discuss the continuation of a 6 mil ad valorem tax approved in 2003 by Chambers County voters. The 20-year tax is reaching the end of its current life and the purpose of the hearing was to determine whether it should be extended.

The hearing was the first step required to send the measure to a referendum vote in either May or June — depending on whether it is voted on during a primary or runoff election. The commission voted unanimously to move the process forward and allow County Attorney Skip McCoy to take the necessary steps to advance it on to the state legislature.

“This today would be to allow me as a county attorney to work with the legislative delegation in regards to the drafting of a bill to be submitted to the legislature in 2022,” McCoy said.

McCoy addressed the commission and those in attendance to explain the 6 mil tax and how it impacts Chambers County.

McCoy said 3 mils are earmarked for the county commission for construction and maintenance programs use and the other 3 mils are divided between the Chambers County Board of Education and Lanett City Schools.

Currently, one mil equals approximately $350,000, and according to McCoy, the revenue realized by the county over the last 20 years is significant.

​​”We’ve probably taken in somewhere between $15 million and $20 million in regards to this period of time,” McCoy said. “The great thing about it is the people of Chambers County voted for this, the people of Chambers County voted and said they wanted to have better roads in Chambers County, they wanted to make improvements in Chambers County.”

There were no members of the public present to speak on either side of the issue.