With another steep decline in Fayette County’s tax digest, the Fayette County Commission this Wednesday (Aug. 1) will discuss the possibility of increasing the millage rate to counteract a potential $2.75 million decrease in revenue for its $80.85 million budget.
To counteract that decline, the county would have to increase its millage rate from 5.645 to 6.326 mills.
The end result of a rollup will vary from property to property based on whether or not the property value declined and if so, by how much.
No vote is expected on the matter, which will be discussed at the county’s monthly workshop meeting which begins at 3:30 p.m. at the Stonewall government complex in downtown Fayetteville.
A public hearing on a proposed fire property tax increase, which will affect residents who live in unincorporated Fayette, Brooks, Woolsey and Tyrone, is expected to be held at the Aug. 23 commission meeting.
That fire tax millage rate would increase from 2.50 to 3.03 mills which would bring in $5.91 million, an increase of $267,639 from the current year’s budget. That increase was necessary to avoid layoffs of fire personnel which would result in a service cut, county officials have said.
For a homeowner with a home valued at $250,000, they would pay another $50 a year for fire services under the proposed millage increase. But if a $250,000 home had its value decrease by the average drop in values to $218,000, the homeowner would realize a $10 increase on his yearly tax bill, county officials have said.
County officials have noted that the fire tax base lacks the commercial and industrial developments that are seen primarily in Fayetteville and Peachtree City, neither of which pay into the tax because they operate their own fire departments.
In other business, the commission will discuss a proposed land use change to make room for a television studio on property currently zoned residential along Ga. Highway 279. The property owner is seeking a commercial designation along the highway.
The commission is also slated to discuss a recommendation from county staff to curtail the amount of detail in the commission’s meeting minutes in an effort to save hours of staff time that are used in transcribing them.
