Connecting Business and You

Pulaski County is determined to help new businesses succeed. Entrepreneurs are people who have a talent for seeing opportunities and the abilities to develop those opportunities into profit-making businesses and are the future of our county. You’ll find that we’ve made access to programs and services simpler than ever. It’s only through the success of our entrepreneurs that our county will thrive and we are committed to your success.

Year Incorporated: Hawkinsville - 1835 (Named for Colonel Benjamin Hawkins, a Revolutionary Soldier.)

Pulaski County-1808 (Named for the gallant Polish Count Casimir Pulaski, who gave his life for American independence at the siege of Savannah in 1770.)

Corporate Net Income

Georgia's corporate income tax rate is 6%. Georgia has not raised taxes in seventeen years. Legislated balanced budget. Applies only to the portion of income that is earned in Georgia.

The following formula is used:

Corporate Net Worth (Franchise Tax)

Domestic operations are taxed on 100% of net worth and foreign (out-of-state) corporations are taxed only on net worth apportioned to Georgia.

The following formula is used:

Real & Personal Property (Ad Valorem Taxes)

These taxes are stated in terms of millage rates, the dollars of taxes to be paid for each $1,000 of the real property's assessed valuation. The assessed valuation rate is 40% of the property's fair market value.

All rates are set at the local level, except the State portion of the tax, which is fixed by Georgia law and a rate of 0.25 mills.

Tax Formula: Value x .40/1000 x millage = Tax (Current Tax Rate)

Intangible Property Tax

Georgia's corporate income tax rate is 6%.

Tax is collected annually by Georgia counties. Rates are fixed by state law and range from $0.10 to $1 for each $1,000 of fair market value.

Tax applies only to intangibles apportioned to Georgia (using the same 3-ration formula as for corporate income tax), and does not apply to stock held in corporations chartered outside Georgia but now located in the state.

Sales and Use Tax

A 4% state wide sales tax is paid by Georgia companies at the time of purchase. The state wide tax applies to purchases (other than real estate) delivered to or stored in Georgia to be used or consumed in the business (not for resale). Includes: Natural gas, oil, gasoline, telephone, artificial gas, steam, electricity and rentals.

In order to reduce property taxes, the 4% statewide sales tax has been increased to 5% in over half of Georgia's 159 counties. Some counties levy an additional 1% sales tax to reduce property tax levies.

Exemptions:

• Purchase for resale
• Machinery used directly in making a product for sale
• Raw materials that will become a component of a finished product
• Machinery and equipment used for pollution control
• Solar energy systems machinery for heating/cooling/drying

Pulaski County: 4% State, 3% County

Special Local Option Sales Tax

An additional 1% special purpose sales tax is available to county governments. Pulaski County used a special local option sales tax to renovate the Courthouse and the Opera House.

The tax can be levied by local counties to either supplement general revenues or to fund specific civic projects such as road construction.

Personal Income Tax

Rates range from 1% to 6% of taxable income.

Income and deductions generally follow federal regulations.

Freeport Tax

Pulaski County has 100% free port tax.

Freeport exemptions are figured on raw materials used in the production of finished goods and finished goods to be distributed outside the State of Georgia. Materials used in production and distributed are not taxed.

Incentives

The County will consider property tax abatement on a case by case basis.

Air

Location of the nearest commercial air service is Macon (KMCN), 37 miles, by Atlantic Southeast. Location of nearest public airport is Hawkinsville (54A) with a 3,000 foot (being extended to 4,000 feet) bituminous, lighted runway. The Perry (KPXE) airport has a 5,000 ft runway and Jet A fuel and is only 20 minutes by car. Atlanta's Hartsfield Airport is 120 miles.

Rail

Norfolk Southern Piggyback service at Macon (43 miles).

Shipping

Georgia has 2 modern, deep-water Atlantic Ocean ports: Savannah and Brunswick. The nearest seaport is in Brunswick, Georgia (152 miles) with a maintained channel depth of 30 feet. In 2003, the new channel depth of the seaport in Brunswick will be 36 feet.

The nearest navigable river is the Chattahoochee River (9 foot channel depth) with a public barge dock at Columbus, Georgia (104 miles).

Trucking

Georgia is one of the nation's major trucking hubs.

Motor freight service is provided to every county in Georgia. Approximately 25,000 interstate carriers have the authority to operate in or through Georgia. Hawkinsville is served by 3 interstate and 22 inter-intrastate motor freight carriers.

Motor Freight Carriers Service Hawkinsville Summary

Pilot Transport Company, Hawkinsville: 478-783-0707

AAA Cooper Transport, Macon: 478-781-1055
Daily delivery/pick-up between 100 and 1:00
Rates based on volume

Consolidation Freight Way, Macon: 478-781-5650
Rates based on volume

ANL Carriers, Cordele: 229-273-3003
Rates based on volume

Truck Load, Lumber Train: 400-342-1286
Rates based on volume

Highway

US Highways 129 and 341

State Highways 247, 112, 26, 256, 27, 230, 11

Industrial Revenue Bonds (IRBs)

The issuing of Industrial Revenue Bonds to finance construction of manufacturing facilities can be done through either the Hawkinsville Development Authority or the Hawkinsville/Pulaski Joint Development Authority.

Financially qualified borrowers may obtain 100% funding (land, building, equipment) for a project's cost, generally at interest rates more favorable than conventional financing.

A $10 million limit exists for any one project within the same political jurisdiction.

Domestic Banks

Pulaski County, with over $122 million in assets, is home to the following institutions:

PlantersFIRST: 478-783-4017

SunMark Community Bank: 478-783-4036

Farmers Home Administration (FmHA)

FmHA's Business and Industry Loan Program offers up to 90% loan guarantees to businesses in areas of less than 50,000 population.

Eligible activities include purchase and development of land, buildings, and equipment; provision of working capital; and certain refinancing of existing debt.

Interest rates are negotiable.

Business Development Corporation of Georgia (BDC)

BDC is privately owned and managed financial institution whose membership includes banks, savings and loan associations, and utilities.

BDC makes loans that involve greater risks than those available from conventional sources. These loans must be secured.

BDC focuses on firms that are expanding production on sound new ventures (preferable in manufacturing or processing).

Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA)

DCA administers a Small Business Revitalization Program to help businesses with under 500 employees secure long-term financing for expansions.

The program uses federal loan programs (SBA, CDBG) for second mortgages to provide long-term loans at below market rates.

DCA also administers that state's allocation system for industrial revenue bond financing.

Regional Development Centers (RDCs)

Pulaski County is served by The Middle Georgia Regional Development Center, Macon, 478-751-6160. RDCs assist communities and businesses with a variety of financial programs.

Financing programs include Community Development Block Grants, Community Development Corporations (CDCs), Local Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Programs, and Small Business Administration Programs.

Climate

Average summer temperature ranges from 78 degrees to 95 degrees. Average winter temperature ranges from 41 degrees to 55 degrees.

The annual average rainfall in Georgia ranges from more than 75 inches in the extreme northeast corner to about 40 inches in a small east central area.

Snowfall is light in Georgia and of no significance in most of the state.

Recreation

Culture and History

Taylor Hall, Pulaski County's oldest home built in 1824, was moved across the Ocmulgee River to its current location on Kibbee Street.

Pulaski County was created in 1808 and named for the gallant Polish Count Casimir Pulaski, who gave his life in the cause of American independence at the siege of Savannah in 1779. The Pulaski Area was the Capitol of the Creek Confederacy. The City of Hawkinsville was named for Colonel Benjamin Hawkins, a Revolutionary War hero.

The Opera House is one of only three of its kind in Georgia. It was built in 1907 and completely renovated in 2001. The Hawkinsville-Pulaski Arts Council has a full lineup of entertainment at the Opera House year round.

The City of Hawkinsville, the Pulaski County Board of Education, and many contributors fund the M.E. Roden Memorial Library. Services: computer and fax services, with one computer being set up specifically for genealogy research, summer programs for children, a local bookmobile, and a meeting room. Member of Ocmulgee Regional System, which also includes Bleckley, Dodge, Telfair, and Wilcox Counties. 26,112 registered patrons.

Cost of Living

In the immediate area of Hawkinsville, there are three subdivisions with prices ranging from $100,000 to $200,000. Southern Hills Community has an average home price of $175,000 and an average lot price of $25,000. Town Creek Subdivision has an average home price of $140,000. Sandy Springs Subdivision has an average home price of $117,700.

Craftway Subdivision has an older part with an average home price of $100,000. The new part of Craftway has more expensive homes with the highest home price being $450,000. The average lot price is $14,000.

The average cost of home in Pulaski County is $75,000.

The average cost to rent/lease is $300-$500.

New apartment complex: Lakeshore Landings-2 bed/2 bath apartments, renting for $450.

Other subdivisions with lower average cost per home are the Jones Subdivision (1st, 2nd 3rd St. area) with an average home price of $94,071.43 and lots in this area are available for an average price of $6000. Rosewood Street Area has an average home price of $110,000. The Brookside Subdivision (Valley Rd. area) has an average home price of $67,500. The Pate Subdivision (Turner St. area) has an average home price of $52,422.40.

Per capital income: $22,197

Household Size By Number of Persons:

• 1 Person: 28.44%
• 2 Persons: 31.29%
• 3 Persons: 16.19%
• 4 Persons: 14.4%
• 5 Persons: 5.76%
• 6 Persons: 3.91%

Quality and Availability

2000

• Civilian Labor Force: 4,529
• Average annual unemployment rate: 6.9%
• Average number of business establishments: 255
• Average monthly employment: 3,001
• Average weekly wage: $488
• % County's workforce that commutes: 42.4%

Natural Gas

Propane Suppliers

Water

Residual Pressure: 75 PSI
Static Pressure: 55 PSI
Storage Capacity: 600,000 MG total for community

Sewer

Electricity

Supplier: Georgia Power Company/Middle GA EMC
Dual 115/12 kV service

Hawkinsville Industrial/Technology Park electricity is supplied by Georgia Power company/Middle GA EMC

115kV Integrated Transmission System

Dual Fed 115/12kV Georgia Power Company Substation is located approximately 3/4 mile from site with substation extra capacity and excellent reliability history.

Georgia Power's electricity prices are 15% below the national average and compare very favorably with the surrounding southeastern states.