WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — Warner Robins Mayor Randy Toms put it bluntly. "Law enforcement right now is in a critical situation," he said.
For years, the Warner Robins Police Department's struggles to recruit and retain officers has been a persistent problem. Now, with the June budget negotiations on the way, Toms says a property tax rate increase is a possible solution.
"The goal is to present a balanced budget with enhancement in public safety without a millage rate increase," said Toms. "But I still say all along, if it takes a millage rate increase to make our community safe that's what we're going to do."
He said the potential increase would likely be less than one mill. It's by no means a done deal, but if it's passed, Toms says the money would be used to fund pay incentives for new recruits in the police department, among other things.
It would, he says, incentivize new officers "to start maybe at a lower salary, knowing that rapidly they're going to be bumped up to a higher level."
We asked some homeowners if they'd support it. Sharon Singletary said she did because the city hasn't had a millage rate increase in a long time "and I feel it's needed."
Tyrone Brown agreed, saying the police department deserves "more funds to recruit."
It must be mentioned: that is by no means a statistically significant sample of the city at large and any potential rate increase certainly has its detractors as well.
Councilman Tim Thomas is one of them. "I don't believe in raising taxes unless absolutely necessary and I don't believe in raising millage rates," he said.
In his view, adjusting utility rates (which unlike the millage rate, affects more than just home and business owners) is typically a better approach, but in this case, he doesn't support that either.
"I'm not even willing to do that at this point," he said. Other council members we spoke with were split on the issue. Daron Lee and Larry Curtis opposed any millage rate increase.
Keith Lauritsen said he supported it
Carolyn Robbins and Clifford Holmes could not be reached for comment.