SCBC will meet Thursday to accept SCBOE proposed millage rate, county’s rollback millage rate

The Stephens County Board of Education has sent its recommended millage rate to the Stephens County Board of Commissioners for approval. Last week, the Board of Education met and set its millage rate for 2022 at 15.72 mills for the maintenance and operation of the public schools of Stephens County.

The Stephens County Board of Commissioners will meet on Thursday, July 28, at 8:30 a.m. in a called meeting to vote to approve the Board of Education’s recommended millage rate.

Additionally, the Board of Commissioners will also consider a motion to approve the 2022 Tax Levy Resolution for Stephens County Government and set the millage rate at 14.05 mills—which, will be the rollback rate.

Originally, the Board of Commissioners had proposed leaving the millage rate, at 14.76 mills, the same as 2021; however, that would have been considered a property tax increase due to property valuations increasing by 8 percent.

During the first two public hearings, several residents came forward to speak out against the tax increase. This outcry from residents pushed the Board of Commissioners to adjust the Fiscal Year 2023 Budget in order for the county to adjust the proposed millage rate.

On Thursday, July 21, the Commission met and approved several budget amendments to adjust for the rollback rate.

Each Commissioner provided their ideas for how to reduce the budget in order to accept a rollback millage rate rather than the proposed property tax increase.

Commissioner Dean Scarborough recommended they reduce every department by ¾ of a percent.

Commissioner Debbie Whitlock and Vice Chair Dennis Bell recommended they adjust two of the capital improvement projects: the Investigator Building and E911 Upgrades. Ultimately, the commission decided to take $250,000 from each of those projects to satisfy the amount the property tax increase would have brought in for the county.