City rate remains the same
In their Wednesday, June 17 meeting, East Ellijay City Council members voted to keep the city’s millage rate the same as last year.
Their vote for a continued 3.0 millage rate was unanimous. They also voted to waive collecting these taxes during the year 2026 and 2027.
A millage rate measures the tax liability of property. Every mil represents $1 taxed for every $1,000 of property value.
The lower the rate, the lower the taxes.
A millage rate of 3 mils means East Ellijay residents can pay $3 for every $1,000 of property value.
“Like in the past, we’re going to set the millage rate, and then we’re going to waive the collection of taxes,” Mayor Don Callihan said.
The average county and municipal millage rate in Georgia is 30 mils, according to the Georgia Department of Revenue.
Gilmer County has a millage rate of 5.50. Gilmer County Schools have a millage rate of 11.099, and taxes only property owners under 65 years old.
In the same meeting, the city council voted to amend the city’s position classification pay plan and renew employee incentive bonuses.
Not all of the city’s job positions are filled, Callihan said. By reclassifying some from lower to higher pay, the city will be able to find new employees, he said.
Incentive bonuses reward city employees for lowering costs.
“It’s a way to get employees on board for keeping costs down at City Hall, and it’s also a way to keep good employees too,” Callihan said of the incentive bonuses.
Both these measures passed unanimously.