Gilmer County commissioners reduced the general maintenance and operation millage rate by .041 mils for 2022.
In terms of dollars, the reduction projects to $82,000 less for the county coffers.
Post Commissioner Hubert Parker asked for the reduction at a special called meeting Aug. 15, where commissioners accepted the board of education millage and set the general obligation bond rate for the county as well.
“I think it would send a good message,” Parker said.
With everyone dealing with the effects of inflation, he said the county should offer some relief to taxpayers.
Commissioners were already looking at a rollback rate of 5.541 mils. It is now reduced to 5.5 mils.
By Georgia law, counties are required to calculate a rollback rate to keep the revenue neutral. If the digest increases, meaning the assessed property increases in value, but the millage rate is kept the same, resulting in an increase in revenue, it must be advertised as a tax increase.
Based on the state formula, Gilmer County was rolling back their millage rate from 6.222 to 5.541. The rollback millage rate was set to net the county $692,277 more in revenue. The total revenue projected from the millage rate is $11,082,822 at 100 percent collection. This is now reduced by $82,000.
Gilmer County’s adjusted maintenance and operations tax digest increased from $1.67 billion in 2021 to $2 billion in 2022.
Parker said a letter should be sent to constitutional officers and department heads in the county to encourage them to look at budget reductions for the year and next year and to be fiscally prudent.
Commissioners accepted the board of education millage rate of 11.099 mils and set the general obligation bond rate at 1 mil.