Homestead Exemption for Sandy Springs Homeowners

Deadline quickly approaching for Sandy Springs homeowners to file for their homestead exemption. You can apply for exemptions year-round by mail or in person; however, you must apply by April 1st to receive the exemption for that tax year.

If you purchased a home in 2009 or earlier, you have less than a week to file for the Georgia homestead exemption in Fulton County. If you purchased this year, you can file at any time this year, but the homestead exemption won’t take effect until 2011.

Applications not filed by the deadline constitute a waiver of the exemption for that year. Your closing attorney does not apply for you.

Fulton County Homeowners will receive a $25,000 exemption for tax year 2010 and by 2011 the basic exemption will increase to $30,000. For those homeowners currently receiving a homestead exemption, no further action is required to get the increased exemption, unless there is an ownership change or if you become eligible for an additional exemption.

First time Fulton County homeowners or those applying for an additional exemption, have until April 1st to file. You can access the application at the Fulton County’s Tax Commissioner site.

To qualify you must own, occupy and claim the property as your legal residence on January 1st of the year for which you apply. The applicant’s name must appear on the deed to this property in order to qualify.

Exemptions are automatically renewed and you need not reapply if you refinance your home.

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Sandy Springs to Participate in Earth Hour

March 27, 2010
8:30 pm	to	9:30 pm

Sandy Springs’ neighborhoods will join buildings around the globe for World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) annual Earth Hour by turning off non-essential lights on Saturday, March 27, at 8:30 p.m. local time. For 2010, Earth Hour Atlanta seeks metro area commitments to surpass previous participation and to make a lasting impact on energy savings.

The annual global event organized by WWF is held on the last Saturday of March. Households and businesses are asked to do something quite simple-turn off lights for one hour in a call for action on climate change. The collective actions demonstrate what can be accomplished when working together to protect the planet for future generations. Earth Hour 2009 gained support from nearly one billion people in 4,100 cities in 87 countries.

Energy savings affect water supply, air quality and economic development, all critical issues. You can follow the Earth Hour Atlanta project at www.twitter.com/EarthHourATL.

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Sandy Springs Census Information

The 2010 Census has begun and the City of Sandy Springs is working to ensure that every resident is counted.

Beginning this month, census questionnaire forms will be mailed or delivered to households across the Country. The questionnaire asks only a few simple questions of each person: name, relationship, gender, age, date of birth, race and whether you own or rent household. By law, the Census Bureau cannot share an individual’s personal information with anyone, including other federal agencies.

Households should complete and mail back their questionnaires upon receipt. Residents that do not respond may receive a replacement questionnaire in early April and census workers will visit households that do not return the forms to take a count in person. For people who own more than one residence or who have been displaced from their homes due to natural disasters or other reasons, complete the form for where you reside most of the time.

To date, the City of Sandy Springs has received more than $2 million in federal funding based on census data for transportation, road construction and Community Development Block Grants (CDBG). The 2010 Census will also be used for redistricting at the local, state and federal levels. In addition, census data also has an impact on school budgets, specifically the distribution of Title I and special education funding.

By completing and returning your census form, you can ensure an accurate resident count for the City of Sandy Springs.

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Sandy Springs to Tweak Privatization Model

March 16, 2010
6:00 pm	to	7:00 pm
April 20, 2010
6:00 pm	to	7:00 pm

Sandy Springs is considering some changes to their privatized government model. With four years of experience in the privatized government concept, Sandy Springs wants to explore their options on outsourcing services.

Sandy Springs has more than a year to explore its options, and few expect it will dump the privatization model going forward. But it could make significant changes, such as contracting with several firms for different services rather than relying on one to handle everything.

Chattahoochee Hills, Milton and Dunwoody have all tried the privatization model following the lead of Sandy Springs.

A desire to get local services up and running quickly prompted Sandy Springs in 2006 to contract with Colorado-based CH2M Hill to provide daily services. Under its $26 million contract with Sandy Springs, though, CH2M Hill provides services such as public works, recreation and planning to the nearly 100,000 residents of Sandy Springs.

The only city employees are public safety workers and top administrators.

Sandy Springs will hold two public input meetings, March 16th and April 20th, to get input from Sandy Springs residents on what has worked and what needs improvement. Citizens and business owners can also fill out a survey online.

The public input meetings will be held before the City Council meetings on March 16, 2010 and April 20, 2010. The meetings begin at 6 p.m.at City Hall, 7840 Roswell Road.

You can also take five minutes to share your thoughts and views by answering several questions related to this topic. Click here to participate in the Sandy Springs online survey. Alternatively, or in addition, you can send feedback to sandyspringslistens@gmail.com.

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Summer Camps and Rec Class Registration

Online registration for the Sandy Springs Recreation and Parks Department’s summer camps and classes will begin on March 15, 2010. There are opportunities for summer fun for all ages (preschool, youth, teens and adults)!

Summer camps and residencies offered will include Day Camp, Super Sports Camp, Gymnastics, Introduction to Tennis, Basketball, Soccer, Wrestling and Artsy Smartsy Camps, Moving Together, Storeography, Playmaking, Mime Theatre and Mask-Making Residencies, Mighty Mites, Preschool Gymnastics, Camp Olympia and 31 Stories Discover Me Camps.

There are also recreation classes available for children ages 9 months-17 years during the summer months that include Cool Moves For Kids, Ballet/Tap, Jazz Plus, Karate, Wobblers, Parent/Toddler, Preschool and Artistic Gymnastics, Tumbling and Rhythmic Gymnastics. Some of the adult classes offered are karate, pilates, belly dancing, gymnastics and monthly dance socials.

To register online and for a complete schedule of summer programs and camps visit www.activenet.active.com/sandyspringsga or call 404-252-6310 for additional information.

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Sandy Springs is most affluent city in Georgia

Sandy Springs named most most affluent area in Georgia and second most affluent in the South, slightly behind Arlington, Virginia and is also among the top 10 wealthiest areas in the nation.

In its rankings of 420 U.S. communities with populations above 75,000, Portfolio.com said Sandy Springs is the ninth-most affluent area in the United States. The city has a per capita income of $55,752, a median household income of $71,592 and median house value of $486,500. Some 17.6 percent of its households boast annual incomes of $200,000 or more.

Roswell, Georgia, ranked 49th overall and eight in the South with a per capita income of $36,001, median household income of $75,490 and median house value of $322,800.

Atlanta came in 79th in the United States with a per capita income of $35,128, median household income of $48,865 and median house value of $254,600.

Check out these great luxury Sandy Springs neighborhoods.

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