Austell to Eliminate Early Property Tax Payment Discount

The Austell City Council plans to cut the 2 percent discount annually offered to residents who paid their property taxes before the Dec. 30 deadline.

City Attorney Scott Kimbrough said the discount was cut due to a budget crunch. Austell City Mayor Joe Jerkins said the discount became "a pretty big problem" and "created a lot of problems."

Jerkins said issues with checks being returned or being received later than the dates written on them led to additional hassles for city employees.

It's unlikely that the city will reinstate the discount, Jerkins explained, since so few residents took advantage of the discount.

City council members will vote on the discount at Monday's meeting at Austell City Hall at 7 p.m.