The past few months have been very challenging for our county governments. Many of you are fortunate to maintain unrestricted cash reserve balances and have a “cushion. We are in uncharted territory, but we do know that sales tax revenues will decline in most of our Georgia counties. The reductions in revenue along with the cost increases related to additional Personal Protective Equipment purchases and other costs may reduce available cash balances.
ACCG understands that most counties would prefer to avoid financing or any type of debt as “debt free” can be a wonderful and comfortable feeling. In 2019 and 2020, interest rates have dropped to unprecedented levels for local government financing. Now is a great time to consider financing your vehicle and equipment purchases and maintaining your cash balances.
Vehicle and Equipment Financing
In 2020, for the Vehicle and Equipment Financing Program, 10 counties have financed a sanitation truck, energy savings equipment, an ambulance, public works equipment, law enforcement vehicles and fire trucks. These financings were from three to ten years with rates as low as 1.99% and averaging 2.61%.
The structure of the Vehicle and Equipment Financing Program for local governments gives you the option of paying off the entire debt if you decide that it is not needed in the future without a pre-payment penalty. Your only initial cost to use the program is the cost of your county attorney opinion letter with no other fees or up-front costs.
Facilities Financing
ACCG offers long-term financing for these projects through our facilities financing program. This type of financing is a little more detailed than the financing of vehicles or equipment, but the ACCG team works to streamline this for our members. Counties simply notify ACCG and provide details about their project and we work with commissioners and county staff to provide the necessary help and guidance throughout the process. ACCG is here to assist our members in simplifying the facilities financing process. Our history of serving counties provides us with the tools to provide guidance as well as expert advice in the construction and financing of your facilities. ACCG has operated this program for over 30 years.
In 2020, for the Facilities Financing Program, four counties have financed building renovations, fire stations and a recycling facility with ten-year rates as low as 1.95%.
From the county’s perspective, our financing program works very similar to traditional installment financing.
In these difficult times, “You have a friend in the County government financing business.”
Contact Brent Williams, ACCG Director of New Business Development and Customer Relations, at bwilliams@accg.org or (404) 589-7852.
More information on the ACCG Financial Services Program can be found here.
ACCG
http://www.accg.org/