About 60 Bryan County residents crowded into the county’s Richmond Hill Courthouse Annex community room Wednesday to voice their anger and frustration over rising taxes. The mood at the second of Bryan County’s three public hearings was contentious, reminiscent of boisterous town hall meetings held across the country this past summer.

Most residents at the meeting said they oppose the county commission’s proposed millage rate increase in property taxes from 7.5 to 8.5 mills. County commissioners are considering a higher mill rate to balance the county’s draft budget of 17.5 million, of which $700,000 is slated for road projects such as paving Harris Trail.

Residents were upset, too, over the school board’s proposed tax increase from 13.537 mills to 15.537 mills, a 2 mill increase over last year. The school system’s proposed budget for the 2010 fiscal year is 49.5 million.

Read more in Saturday's Bryan County News.