SAVANNAHCHAMBER.COM 71
TAXES
Savannah Area and
Georgia Tax Summary:
Compared to other
states, Georgia enjoys
modest tax rates. A bal-
anced budget is consti-
tutionally mandated and
a pro-business climate
nurtures strong economic
growth. The maximum
corporate income tax
rate, which has remained
at 6 percent since 1969,
was lowered to 5.75 per-
cent effective in .
Chatham County Sales
Tax: Tax is 7 percent
(4 percent state, 3 percent
local option) on purchases
of most goods and some
services. Only the
3 percent local sales tax
is charged on groceries.
State Personal Income
Tax: In early ,
Georgia's General
Assembly reduced the
top ta rate for individu-
als from 6 percent to 5.75
percent and doubled the
standard deduction, both
through the year .
Property Tax: Chatham
County property taxes are
assessed on percent of
the fair market value of
the property. Applied to
this amount are millage
rates, which are levied
by various governing
authorities: Chatham
County, the Savannah
Chatham County Board
of Education, the City of
Savannah and some
but not all municipali-
ties. The Chatham Area
Transit Authority levies a
ta in some service areas.
Owner-occupied homes
are eligible for homestead
exemptions, as well as an
exemption that essentially
freezes the taable value
at the purchase price until
it is sold again, and addi-
tional exemptions apply
to certain categories of
senior citizens.
VOTER REGISTRATION
er eirain ffie
Eisenhower Drive,
Ste. E 5
voter.chathamcounty.org
• You must be a U.S.
citizen at least years
old to vote years
to register), mentally
sound and not currently
serving a sentence for a
felony conviction.
• You must register at
least 3 days before an
election in which you
wish to vote. Although
the voter rolls are
periodically purged of
inactive voters, those
who vote with some
regularity remain
registered until they
change addresses.
• You may register at
the Chatham County
Registrars office, the
various branches of the
Live Oak Public Libraries
in Chatham County, the
Georgia Department
of Driver Services and
certain other govern-
ment offices. You may
also register online at
the Georgia Secretary of
States official website.
Need-to-know
Information
CITIES/MUNICIPALITIES
Chatham County Government*
55
chathamcountyga.gov
City of Bloomingdale
bloomingdale-ga.com
City of Garden City*
gardencityga.gov
City of Pooler
pooler-ga.us
City of Port Wentworth*
3
cityofportwentworth.com
City of Savannah
55
savannahga.gov
City of Tybee Island*
53
cityoftybee.org
Town of Thunderbolt*
355533
thunderboltga.org
Town of Vernonburg
PUBLIC SERVICES
Carl Vinson Institute
of Government*
cviog.uga.edu
Chatham County
Board of Assessors*
5
boa.chathamcounty.org
Chatham County Department
of Family/Children Services
5
chathamdfcs.org
Chatham County
Health Department*
35 gachd.org
Chatham County
Tax Commissioner*
5
ta.chathamcountyga.gov
Chatham County-
Savannah Metropolitan
Planning Commission*
5
thempc.orggsc.tab
Chatham Emergency
Management Agency*
5
chathamemergency.org
Georgia Air National
Guard 165th Airlift Wing*
165aw.ang.af.mil
Georgia Department
niy air
53 dca.ga.gov
Georgia Department
of Revenue
5
Georgia Ports Authority*
3 3
gaports.com
Judge Gregory V. Sapp*
555
chathamcourts.org/state-court
Licenses Wildlife
Resources Division
Live Oak Public Libraries*
53
liveoakpl.org
State Bar of Georgia
5
gabar.org
UGA Cooperative
Extension-Chatham County*
5
extension.uga.edu/county-
officeschatham.html
United States Postal Service
355 usps.com
WorkSource Coastal*
353
worksourcecoastal.org
PUBLICATIONS/
PUBLISHERS*
Agenda Latina
53
agendalatinausa.com
Atlanta Magazine
55
atlantamagazine.com
Connect Savannah
35
connectsavannah.com
Discovery Map of Savannah
and Tybee Island
35555 discoverymap.com
Eat It and Like It
333
eatitandlikeit.com
Georgia Byrd
5
R E S O U R C E S
