Local governments, school board discuss millage rates
Tax digest growth means a slight tax increase for property owners, even with lower millage rates
Polk County taxpayers are likely to be set with lower millage rates this year despite the economic stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, the tax digest provided by the Polk County Tax Assessor’s office shows an increase in fair market property value, meaning property owners will still likely see an increase in their property tax bills due to additions and reassessments.
Polk School District became the first local body to set its millage rate for the year last week when the school board voted to adopt a rate of 14.139, a rollback from last year’s 15.664. A tax rate of one mill represents a property tax liability of one dollar per $1,000 of assessed value.
School board member Britt Madden, a certified personal accountant in Cedartown, commented on the lowering of the district’s millage rate, saying that the district wants to invest in the community just as the community invests in it.
“To the taxpayers fighting COVID and all of its effects, we hear you. The 2020-2021 school year budget of our Polk School District has taken a double-digit percentage cut from the state. We intentionally did not go to you the taxpayers to make up the difference. Similarly, we have not cut jobs or furloughs while at the same time educating your child in the most difficult of times and circumstances,” Madden posted on Facebook.
“The community has always supported our Polk County public schools and we thank you for it. We may need you down the road, but for now, we all need to pray for the COVID virus to be over and our kids, faculty and staff to be safe.”
Superintendent Laurie Atkins announced at last week’s meeting the school district ended the 2020 fiscal year in June with a fund balance of over $14 million, which she and other board members have said will be used to cover some expenses this school year.
“This is not a normal year,” Madden said at the meeting. “We’re taking a lot of hits and we can’t do it for long.”
The Polk County Commission is expected to hold a meeting on Aug. 26 to set the county’s millage rate. Commissioners talked about the rate during their web video conference meeting on Aug. 4, suggesting it be no higher than 10.143. The board set the millage rate last year at 11.191.
Commissioner Ray Carter, who is a member of the county’s finance committee, said they are working with all departments to get the most out of the budget they are developing for FY2021. He said they believe there will be enough tax revenue to meet the needs of the county.
“I think we’re confident in that rate. It’s aggressive, but it’s fair at the same time for all parties,” Carter said. “We’ve got to watch our P’s and Q’s and watch what we do. It will be a tough year. It will be a tight year. We don’t know what COVID is going to end up doing, but we know we’ll get some help to offset it.”
Something that the county is dealing with, as well as other local governments, is what to make of the high number of appeals made on property assessments that went out earlier this year.
Carter said with about four times the normal number of appeals, the tax assessor’s office is working diligently through them. However he doesn’t feel they will make a huge difference in the overall tax revenue for the county.
The Cedartown City Commission also discussed the city’s millage rate, and what effect appeals may have on it, during a work session on Aug. 3. The board is going through with advertising a rate of 10.949, down from 11.201 last year.
City Manager Bill Fann told commissioners they were looking at probably $69 million in appeals just within the city limits.
While the millage rate is lower, it would still lead to a 7.4% increase in property taxes for Cedartown residents based on the tax digest. Public hearings are set for Sept. 2 at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., and Sept. 9 at 10 a.m. in the Cedartown City Council Room, 201 East Ave. before the commission votes to set the rate.
The city of Aragon has tentatively adopted a millage rate of 8.884, the same as it was last year. The Aragon City Council is scheduled to hold a public hearing and vote to set the rate at a meeting on Thursday at 6:45 at Aragon City Hall.