For the fourth consecutive year, the Fayette County Commission has lowered the county tax millage rate.

Business Services Director Mark Pullium told the commissioners that the overall rate has decreased more than 21 percent during the four-year period.

This year's rate dropped from 5.419 to 5.191 for maintenance and operations in the unincorporated county. The fire district millage rate is also dropping from 3.23 mills to 3.091 mills this year.

"Our services continue to increase while we continue to lower the millage," Pullium added.

In his Power Point presentation, he explained the millage rollback was saving taxpayers in the unincorporated county more than $100.

In the incorporated areas, Pullium showed a sample tax bill from Tyrone. The bill showed the property increasing in value nearly 9 percent over the 2001-2005 period.

The sample bill showed the county's portion of the tax bill decreasing $99.24, while Tyrone's portion went up $51.40.

"I'm not picking on Tyrone. We used them because their residents pay all the different types of taxes," he said.

In a chart showing the property tax rates for the different municipalities, Pullium explained that Peachtree City's rate had increased 22.29 percent over the five-year period, while Tyrone's had increased 16 percent.

The Fayette Board of Education's rate increased 3.8 percent. The county's dropped 21.81 percent, while Fayetteville's dropped 5.8 percent and Brooks' rate fell by .23 percent.