Sunday, June 2, 2024–6:36 p.m.
-Adam Carey, Rome News-Tribune-
This story is possible because of a news-sharing agreement with the Rome News-Tribune. More information can be found at northwestgeorgianews.com
The Floyd County Board of Education voted to reduce the school system’s tax rate during a called meeting early Friday.
The board voted 3-2 to reduce the millage rate to the rollback rate of 17.136 mills. The rollback rate is the calculated amount the millage rate must be reduced to ensure that people pay the same amount as the previous year.
Board members Chip Hood, Jay Shell and Tony Daniel voted for the reduction while board chair Melinda Strickland and vice chair Danny Waits voted against.
“If there was ever a year to reduce the millage rate to the rollback rate, this was it,” Shell said. “We asked the voters to trust us when we closed a bunch of schools, and they did.”
Shell and Hood thanked county voters for having faith in the board as county schools are sitting on a large balance in their general fund after years of fiscal belt-tightening.
Strickland did say the school board recognizes the public outcry regarding the increase in property taxes.
“We’re doing everything we can do to minimize our portion of residents’ tax bills,” Strickland said. “We want the public to know we hear them, and we’ve been good stewards of their money.”
The Floyd County school system has approximately $49 million in its general fund as of preliminary financial reports for March. Some of those funds are rollover funds from pandemic relief funds.
“We closed schools and we promised voters we would be fiscally responsible with their money,” Hood said. “And we had a good discussion on the merits of reducing the rate now and moving it all the way back to the rollback rate.”
If the board does not reduce the millage rate to the rollback rate or below, taxpayers will still see their property tax bill increase from the previous year. By Georgia law that must be advertised as a tax increase.
As Georgia experiences a financial boom, property taxes are increasing across the state as the value of homes increases.
According to Floyd County Schools Superintendent Glenn White, the county school millage rate has not been reduced to the rollback rate in at least 25 years.
“This is our commitment, not only to our students, employees and the school system, but also to the community and those who all invest and give back to our school system,” White said.