Senoia residents

saw their property tax rates decline last week, but that may not translate

to a lower tax bill.

In a called

meeting last week, the City Council dropped the city's rate from 7.03

mills to 6.11.

Mayor Joan

Trammell and City Attorney Drew Whalen explained the drop is because of

reassessments and new growth in the area.

The millage

rate drop was steep enough not to trigger a state law calling for public

hearings if the city gained more revenue due to reassessments.

The adopted

millage rate will add slightly more money to the city's tax coffers, but

only the money that was due to growth and not reassessments.

While Senoia's

property tax rate should keep the city portion of residents' tax bills

relatively the same, residents may see their tax bills increase because

the school system is lowering its millage rate, but not enough to keep

taxes from increasing due to reassessments.

City Councilman

Bill Wood agreed the city should lower the rate, and the measure passed

unanimously.