In a two to one vote, the Gilmer County Board of Commissioners voted to maintain last year’s millage rate of 5.5 mils.
By Georgia state law, the board has to advertise this as a tax increase since the value of taxable property in the county went up. Three public hearings must be held before final adoption of the rate.
Post commissioners John Marshall and Hubert Parker voted in favor of maintaining the millage rate. Gilmer County Chair Charlie Paris voted against the rate at a special called meeting Wednesday, July 26.
“We have a lot of things to fund,” said Parker. “Parks and Rec are in dire need.”
Marshall said he tried to make a list of everything the county could not fund and he got depressed.
Parker mentioned the state was giving a rebate of $250 on property tax as well.
“The difference if we leave it at 5.50, based on the 2023 digest numbers, it would make about a $2 million difference over 2022,” said Gilmer County Finance Officer Sandi Holden.
She said the difference between the rollback rate and keeping the millage the same was $1.5 million.
Gilmer County Tax Commissioner Rebecca Marshall said the digest of property values is higher than last year.
“So, not only are we going to tick everybody off because of the values going up, but now we are going to tick them off because we are not going with the rollback rate,” she said.
Post Commissioner Marshall said some people would be pleased because the county could fund more.
“But we are going to please a whole lot of people being able to fund some things we haven’t been able to fund before,” he said.
At the same meeting, the board voted to reduce the bond millage rate to .75 mil from 1 mil.
Effectively this reduces the combined county tax rate from 6.5 mils last year to 6.25 mils for the coming year. This does not include the school millage rate.
Paris raised his contention that Gilmer County is the ninth lowest tax rate in the state, looking at all taxes and special fees in each county.
Dates and times of the public hearings about the millage rate are:
﹣ Thursday, Aug. 10, at 6:15 p.m. in the jury assembly room at the courthouse.
﹣ Thursday, Aug. 17, at 10 a.m. in the commissioners conference room.
﹣ Friday, Aug. 18, at 9 a.m. in the jury assembly room in the courthouse.