NEWTON COUNTY— The Newton County Board of Commissioners heard an replace on the Joint Growth Authority (JDA) of Newton, Jasper, Morgan and Walton Counties at their common assembly on March 17.
Serra Corridor, government director of the Newton County Industrial Growth Authority, and District 1 Commissioner Stan Edwards, who sits on the JDA for the county, offered the updates.
Corridor shared that the Rivian plant in Stanton Springs North remains to be beneath development and plans to ramp up over the spring and summer season. Stanton Springs South homes Takeda Prescription drugs and two of Meta’s knowledge facilities. She famous that each Meta websites are actually full.
“We’ll see a rise of PILOT funds coming of their course,” Corridor stated.
Edwards shared the breakdown for a way every of the 4 counties within the JDA receives revenues. He stated Newton County and Walton County every obtained 37.5% of income. Morgan County receives 15%, and Jasper County receives 10%, presently, however the percentages could change with Stanton Springs North. Corridor stated the parts are based mostly on what every county put into the JDA initially.
As of Dec. 31, 2025, Stanton Springs has generated greater than $54 million in income, which has been dispersed to the 4 counties, Edwards shared.
This income comes from PILOT funds from Meta and Rivian, plus property taxes from Takeda.
“For Newton County, that whole involves $20,149,913,” Edwards stated. “…That’s the 37.5%.”
The quantity portioned for Newton County is then cut up between the Newton County Board of Training and the Newton County Authorities (through the board of commissioners). The board of schooling has obtained $7,987,121, whereas the county authorities has obtained $12,162,292.
Initially, the funds solely went to the county governments. Now, 58% of Newton County’s income is allotted to the board of schooling.
“Now that math is just not right as a result of there was some funds shared with the counties solely to start with, I imagine,” Edwards stated, talking on why the county authorities’s income is bigger than the college system’s after they have a smaller allocation.
Edwards stated the county authorities has been placing the income into its common fund funds since 2021.
District 4 Commissioner J.C. Henderson expressed concern in regards to the income going to the overall fund. He stated that taxpayers could not really feel like they’re actually receiving tax reduction from the websites, as they proceed to see rising taxes.
Henderson asserted that he believed the unique design of the JDA income was not for it to enter the overall fund.
“It was my understanding again then—perhaps I’m simply getting previous—it was these monies from the Joint Growth Authority was supposed to return and assist the taxpayers pay taxes, pay on the taxes, convey down the taxes, and it by no means did,” Henderson stated. “…I simply hate I’m the one individual up right here within the county to speak about it. And I can’t neglect it.”
Henderson stated that if the cash is available in, it ought to be put in a separate account and used when wanted. However Edwards stated the cash mustn’t go to “new tasks,” however fund the companies the group’s tax {dollars} are used for.
Edwards stated that placing the collections into the overall fund is taxpayer reduction, as it’s the important supply of funding for the county’s expenditures.
“If there is a rise in taxes, the rise in that tax would have been far more if it had not been for these funds,” Edwards stated. “So it’s going again within the taxpayers’ pockets. It’s going to assist fund our annual funds, since 2021.”
District 5 Commissioner LeAnne Lengthy beneficial publishing the quantity of income “out the place everyone can discover it,” exhibiting residents how the revenue has funded a funds that in any other case could have relied extra closely on tax {dollars}.
“I wish to see these numbers in writing someplace so when now we have statements like that that come up, we will present those who it did go to the underside line, it did go,” Lengthy stated. “…the place these funds went, and the way we offset the millage charge by these funds.”
With Henderson and Edwards voicing their disagreement, Henderson instructed that the pair have a debate. Edwards stated that whereas he would personally prefer it if land remained “woods and cows and pastures,” rural residential properties don’t generate as a lot income for the county as the economic park does.
Information Editor Kate Verity contributed to this report.
