Boards poised to set millage rates

♦ The proposed 2018 property tax rates in Rome, Floyd County and Cave Spring are essentially unchanged but some tracts have increased in value.

The Rome City and Floyd County commissions are slated have their final property tax hearings next week, after which the 2018 millage rates will be adopted.

No changes from the 2017 rate are planned, except for a slight, 0.055-mill, drop in the levy for county schools. That’s equal to a $2.20 savings on the tax for a $100,000 home.

One mill represents a tax liability of $1 for every $1,000 of assessed value. Property is assessed at 40 percent of the fair market value.

The governments are required by state law to hold three public hearings since property values have increased overall in Floyd County and the levy will bring in more revenue than in 2017. But Rome Finance Director Sheree Shore said that doesn’t mean every taxpayer will see a hike.

“You’ll only pay more if the value of your own property increased,” she said.

Floyd County Assistant County Manager Gary Burkhalter noted that property values are set by the tax assessor’s office based on sales of comparable tracts. Some are unchanged from 2017, he said, and some may have dropped in value.

“In that case, you’d pay less,” Burkhalter said. “It all depends on what your assessment does.”

A Rome City Commission hearing Monday drew no comments. Commissioner Randy Quick said the final opportunity is scheduled for the board’s July 23 meeting at 6:30 p.m., after which the rate would be set.

Floyd County Commissioners fielded a few calls last week to cut their millage rate but County Manager Jamie McCord said the additional revenue is

needed. The board is already expecting to draw $3 million from savings to cover the 2018 budget.

McCord noted that it’s unclear if operations will continue at Georgia Power’s Plant Hammond, which pays over $2 million a year in county property taxes. Also, the county will have to start making annual debt service payments of $750,000 a year on industrial park property that has not yet sold.

“This will give us that little bit of increase we need to get some things done,” McCord said.

The county has two more hearings scheduled, at 8 a.m. July 24 and later that day during the board’s 6 p.m. meeting. After that, the rate will be adopted.

Tax rates differ for property owners in the city of Rome, the city of Cave Spring and unincorporated Floyd County.

Everyone pays the county’s 9.487-mill maintenance and operations levy, equal to $380 on a $100,000 house, for services ranging from the courts and jail to the library and recreation.

Property owners in the unincorporated area also pay 1.65 mills for fire protection, 0.656 mills for solid waste and 18.300 for the county school system. The total 30.093 mills is equal to $1,204 for a $100,000 house — with $732 of that going to the schools.

Cave Spring levies no city tax, with the council voting each year to offset their service costs with their share of the permanent 1-cent LOST, local option sales tax. Property owners pay the county M&O and school taxes for a total of 27.787 mills, equal to $1,112 for a $100,000 home.

Rome property owners don’t pay the county’s fire or solid waste tax. Instead, the city levies 10.086 mills for services provided by its own departments at a higher level than those in the unincorporated area. That’s equal to $403 on a $100,000 home.

City residents also pay 17.450 mills for Rome’s independent school system. With the county M&O, the total millage rate is 37.023, equal to $1,481 for a $100,000 home. The schools’ share of that would be $698.