Tyrone residents

will have a chance to talk back about taxes during a public hearing Thursday

night.

Under a new

state law, local governments are required to stage public hearings if

a millage rollback does not occur when the county's property is reappraised.

Town Manager

Barry Amos said the town set a tentative millage rate of 2.5 mills in

June when they passed their budget.

But the town

estimated the tax digest would grow by 11 percent this year. When the

tax digest figures came out, Amos had to call for three public hearings

to get comments from the public.

"We would

have to lower the millage rate to 2.38 under the new law. If we did that,

we would have to cut the budget," he said.

The Mayor and

Council ultimately have the power to lower the rate and Amos said he would

follow their directive.

The first public

hearing is at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, with the next two scheduled for Oct

5.

In other Tyrone

news, Amos confirmed the town is being sued once again by developer John

Callaway over a zoning dispute.

The newest

lawsuit concerns Callaway's second proposal on a tract on Ga. Highway

74 to have it zoned commercial. Earlier this summer, the Town Council

voted to zone it office, which Callaway contends is not a proper zoning

category.