Villa Rica city council this week considered a pair of recommendations from City Manager Larry Wood, which could potentially affect the city’s ability to attract outside businesses.
 
Council approved one and denied the other.
 
“I was hoping that council would approve having the local energy-excise tax continue to be collected in Villa Rica,” Wood said this week. “But, they didn’t.”
 
Georgia house bill 386, enacted last year by the Georgia general assembly, exempts energy used by manufacturers and allows for municipalities to opt-out if they so choose.
 
Wood's concern is that eliminating the tax could cost the city $100,000 or more; but at this time, there is no way to be definite.
 
He says council can reconsider that topic at any time; and it may—once a more precise cost to the city is understood.
 
Council did approve Wood’s recommendation to drop residential tap fees about 50-percent.
 
“We went from $2,990 down to $1,500… and from $5,500 on a sewer tap down to $4,000,” says Wood. “The whole theory behind that is… this will encourage builders to come in and build in Villa Rica.”