A grassroots citizens’ group in Walton County is escalating its fight against a nearly 20 percent property tax increase, calling for the resignation or recall of Commission Chairman David G. Thompson.

The group, Walton in Action, announced plans for a rally outside the historic Walton County courthouse on Tuesday, September 2, at 5 p.m. ahead of the commission’s 6 p.m. meeting. Organizers say dozens of residents plan to speak during public comment.

The dispute stems from the commission’s August 5 vote to raise the county’s millage rate by 19.55 percent, a move supporters say was necessary to cover major expenses, including construction of a $42 million park and operating two jails. The increase passed narrowly in a 4–3 vote.

The activists’ case

Walton in Action says the hike represents “fiscal irresponsibility” and accuses Chairman Thompson of dismissing citizen concerns. The group points to a petition it circulated in late August, gathering 3,325 handwritten signatures in six days to demand a special meeting and a revote. No meeting was scheduled before the state deadline to roll back the rate.

Members of the group also accuse Thompson of using his government email account to insult citizens who pushed for a revote, reportedly calling them “stupid” and “town idiots.”

“Mr. Thompson now faces a choice,” Walton in Action said in its press release. “He can resign—or face a fully organized recall campaign.”

Thompson’s defense

Thompson has previously argued that the tax increase was unavoidable due to what he called a “perfect storm” of expenses. He has emphasized the need to keep public safety funding intact while also moving forward with long-planned park development.

While Thompson has not directly responded to the recall threat, he has said publicly that residents “need to stop whining and get educated” about the county’s budget challenges.

County budgets come from the tax dollars of residents.

What’s next

The September 2 rally will take place at the courthouse steps at 111 South Broad Street in Monroe, followed by the commission meeting where many residents are expected to speak.

Under Georgia law, recall campaigns can move forward if organizers collect enough signatures and prove specific grounds for removal, such as misconduct or neglect of duties. Walton in Action says it is preparing to meet those requirements.

The bigger picture

The controversy is part of a broader tension facing many fast-growing counties in Georgia: balancing the costs of new infrastructure with residents’ resistance to higher taxes. Walton in Action stresses that its movement is nonpartisan and includes “every demographic in the county.”

For more details, the group has directed residents to its website stopwaltontaxhike.com.