For the 10th

year in a row, the Coweta County Commission will lower the millage rate

for property owners in the county.

The county

is expected to officially drop the rate from 5.02 mills to 5 mills for

residents in the incorporated county and from 4.26 mills to 3.93 mills

for unincorporated residents at its Oct.15 meeting.

County administrator

Theron Gay, who used to work in the assessor's office, said he could not

remember a comparable time in the county's history where the millage rate

has been dropped for such a long period of time.

Commissioner

Robert Wood said the tax cutting began in 1992 when he was voted into

office, along with Commissioner Vernon "Mutt" Hunter.

"We were

presented with a deficit budget and would not accept it," he said.

Since then,

Wood said, the county has been a careful steward of the citizen's money

and has been able to lower the tax rate.

Commissioner

Lawrence Nelms also made it clear the county has nothing to do with the

school system's millage rate.

School officials

are anticipating a millage rate hike, and Nelms said the board only reports

the school system's rate as part of the overall tax rate.

The tax rate

is expected to be set at 6 p.m. Oct.15.