06/01/2026
For the month of June, we will be highlighting some of the departments in the Admininstration Building. For this week, we would like to introduce our Wayne County Tax Commissioner Office.
Many people dread hearing the word taxes. Have you wondered exactly where the tax money goes? Do you wonder why the taxes change? Thinking about this can make some people upset and lash out at the ladies who take the payments. Have you done this before?
Our Wayne County Tax Commissioner Office is one of the departments that help our county operate smoothly each day. As many of you know our Tax Commissioner, who is an Elected Official, is Ally Harnage. Mrs. Harnage has been with the county for over 4 years. In her department she has 5 ladies who also assist with our residents. Currently in her department, she has a dedicated employee who has been with the county for over 23 years, Sheila Wells. Another dedicated employee from this office that has retired is Teresa Brannen, who was with the county for 33 years. These ladies are also residents who have to pay Wayne County taxes. Throughout the day they are constantly busy taking payments, trying to calm upset residents, and speaking with residents in person or on the phone. Please know these ladies must follow the Georgia Tax Laws and report everything to the Georgia Department of Revenue.
The Tax Commissioner Office does more than just take your tax payments and renew your tag. While these tasks are important there is more to each task then just taking payments. Daily operations include sending tax bills and reminders, processing property tax payments, maintaining tax records, record keeping of delinquent taxes, setting payment arrangements, running delinquent tax sales, collecting mobile home and other local taxes, answering tax questions, managing vehicle registrations and tag renewals, issuing license plates and decals, and processing title transfers. If your property taxes are not paid in a timely manner, a Delinquent Tax Vendor and the Tax Commissioner Office review delinquent properties and send out delinquent notices. If no payment has been made the delinquent property is put on the list for a tax sale.
In many Georgia counties, the Tax Commissioner is the tax collector and the state agent for motor vehicle services. Our Tax Commissioner Office performs different accounting and recordkeeping, so they can distribute collected tax money to schools, city, and county departments. Your taxes support schools, roads, public building, bridges, law enforcement, county jail, emergency services, fire protection, courts, public health and sanitation, and other community programs. Once every payment has been recorded and distributed, they must report everything to the state. To see the complete list of what county taxes can be levied and collected for please go to www.waynegatax.com in the FAQ’s you can click on the Official Code of Georgia and then search O.C.G.A. 48-5-220.
Questions answered from our Tax Commissioner Ally Harnage:
How does your department help the community?
“The Tax Commissioner’s Office helps the community by collecting and managing important local taxes that fund everyday public needs. Our work supports schools, roads, public safety, and other county services. “
If your department did not exist, what would happen to the community?
“In simple terms, the Tax Commissioner’s Office helps keep the financial side of the community organized and operating. Without it, many public services that people depend on every day would have less funding or stop functioning properly.”
What can the community do to help your department function better?
“The community can help the Tax Commissioner’s Office function better by working cooperatively and staying informed.”
Some helpful things residents can do include:
● Pay taxes on time to help schools, roads, and emergency services receive steady funding.
● Keep vehicle registrations current and renew tags before they expire.
● Provide accurate information when filing paperwork, transferring titles, or applying for exemptions.
● Use online services when available to reduce long lines and wait times in the office.
● Ask questions early if confused about taxes, deadlines, or required documents.
● Respect office staff and be patient during busy periods like tax season or tag renewal months.
● Report address changes so tax bills, notices, and registration information are sent correctly.
● Stay informed about local taxes and deadlines through county websites, mail notices, and community updates.
● Participate in community meetings or local government discussions to better understand how tax money is used.
“When residents cooperate and stay organized, the office can serve people faster, keep accurate records, and make sure community services continue running smoothly.”
