How much is

Fayette County worth?

How about $10,296,063,260.

That's the

worth of the 2004 county tax digest, reflecting a $1.89 billion increase

in the fair market value of all taxable property within the county, Tax

Commissioner George Wingo said Tuesday afternoon.

Wingo has released

the annual register of the county's worth to the school board, county

commission and city councils of each of Fayette's muncipalities, which

now must advertise and then lock in their tax rates for the fiscal year.

Nearly all

property owners can expect increases in some form as the county school

board on Tuesday conceded it will need a tax hike of more than 1 mill

to cover cuts in state funding.

Peachtree City

residents will also see a tax increase, while the city of Tyrone will

hold its millage rate even from the current year budget.

Fayetteville

and the County Commission both rolled their tax rates back.

Of the $1.89

billion increase, $685.5 million was the result of this year's revaluations,

which is required by law every three years, Wingo said.

Tax bills will

be mailed starting Oct. 1 and taxes are due within 60 days, or by Dec.

1.

While Wingo's

office doesn't collect sales tax, he said recent information on distribution

of the 1-cent LOST funds indicates the county's retail sales this year

will top the $1.6 billion mark. Wal-mart stores with two locations in

the county account for about 10 percent of the total, Wingo said.

Millage rate hearings

must hold public hearings on their proposed tax rates if they reflect

an increase or no change from one year ot the next. Lowering the millage

does not require a hearing.

Board of Education:

Increase / Sept. 11, noon and 6 p.m.; Sept. 18, 8 a.m. School board headquarters,

210 West Stonewall Avenue, Fayetteville.

Peachtree City: Increase

/ Sept. 18, 6:30 p.m.; Sept. 25, 7:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Location: City

Hall, Willowbend Road at Ga. Highway 54.

Tyrone: No change /

Sept. 11, 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.; and Sept. 18, 6:30 p.m. at Tyrone Town Hall,

Senoia Road, Tyrone.