Stephens Co. Commission Looking to Decrease Millage Rate

Stephens County Commissioners hope to look at a proposed budget that would include a slight millage rate decrease.

County commissioners met with staff for a two-day budget retreat earlier this week at the Kimsey Environmental Center.

Administrator Phyllis Ayers said that following budget discussions, the commission has asked her to put together a proposed budget based of a decrease in the millage rate of .25 mill.

Ayers said that the commission has multiple reasons.

“Some of the things that I specifically hear around the table is that the commissioners are very interested in getting the millage rate down from 13.66, especially in light of the school system, (which) had to go to 20 and as a region, economic development, it does help us with a little bit lower millage rate and the economic issues for some in the community, some have difficulty making it from week to week,” said Ayers.

A .25-mill decrease would take Stephens County’s millage rate from 13.66 mills to 13.41 mills.

Ayers said that the county has instituted a number of cost-cutting measures during this fiscal year to save money prior to the new budget year.

Those include moving the Registrar’s Office into the Probate Judge’s office and outsourcing building inspections.

In addition, the county is not filling a position in solid waste that is coming open due to a retirement.

Along with that, Ayers said the property tax digest that did not drop as much as in past years.

“This year, the digest is projected to be down about .9 percent, which is the smallest decline I have seen in a while,” said Ayers.

Ayers said all of that allows the millage rate decrease to be put on the table.

She went on to say that work continues on the proposed budget to try and finalize it for commissioners.

“They are also looking at a couple of more areas that we have been kicking around and I will take that and re-build the budget,” said Ayers.

Ayers said county commissioners can expect the proposed Fiscal Year 2016 budget presented on Tuesday.

Public hearings on the proposed budget would then take place in June and adoption would be expected at the second meeting in June, prior to the start of the new fiscal year on July 1.