Chattooga County Commissioner Jason Winters said at the monthly Commissioner's Meeting, held on Wednesday afternoon, that the county had increased it's line of credit at United Community Bank by $400,000.  

Winters said that he had signed a resolution that raises the line of credit from $2 million to $2,400,000.  Winters said that the extra operating funds were needed in these tight economic times.  The line of credit has an interest rate of 3.35%.  Winters estimated that it will cost the county between $70,000 and $80,000 per year interest.

Winters said that his goal at the beginning of his last term was to get the county away from having to use the line of credit, but because of the downturn in the economy and because of dwindling property values that goals was not attainable at this time.

Winters also said that with the current millage rate set at 11.534 mills for the unincorporated areas of the county, the county would see close to a $340,000 decrease in the amount of property taxes collected.