The Columbia County Board of Education held its second of three millage rate hearings on Tuesday, July 25.
Columbia County School District Superintendent Dr. Steven Flynt said the advertised millage rate of 17.35 mills is the same as 2022, but the rate has not been set, so there has not been an increase. The Board of Education will set the rate after the third public hearing during the meeting on Aug. 8.
“As the Board of Education, you are required to set a millage rate that provides for the maintenance and operation of the school district,” Flynt said while showing a history of the millage rate. “If there were any bonds required, that would also be required to be set based on the terms of the bond. In this case, you can see all the way back to 1989 kind of what the M&O and bond was. Fortunately, we haven’t seen a bond in a number of years. But you can see the total millage has remained the same or lower since, let’s see going all the way back to 2012, that’s when we were at 17.59. In 2014 it went a mill higher, and then in 2016 was reduced to 18.3 where it remained for a number of years…The last two years you have provided a decrease in the millage. In 2021 that was decreased from 18.3 to 18.1, and then a much larger decrease last year from the 18.1 down to the 17.35. So, two years of consistent reductions of the millage rate.”
Flynt added that approximately 22% of the increase in the digest is from growth in the county. If the millage rate remains at 17.35 mills, that would equate a digest growth of $3.2 million from 2022.
Also discussed was the property tax relief grant from the state, which will reduce the assessed value of the home for people who have the homestead exemption.
“This will reduce taxes on property owners, and on average, they’re showing that average reduction across the state of about $500,” Flynt said. “This is a one-year deal, so it will only, unless they approve it again in next years, this is the only time that will happen. That will be directly on the property owners tax bill.”
Several community members spoke at the meeting voicing their concerns about increases in property taxes and how that is affecting affordability, especially with prices on everything increasing.
One of the people who spoke was Kevin Pike, who said over the past five years his property taxes have increased by 24%, and if the proposed millage rate is approved, it will be 38.4%. He compared the increase in property taxes to pay raises from the Department of Defense, which he said is the largest employer in the CSRA and the raises are probably similar other employers.
“If we look over those same five years, most people have gotten a raise of 13.8%,” Pike said. “This year, if you include 2023, most people received a raise of 18.4%. That’s a lot, that slope is a lot lower than the increase that we’re seeing in property taxes at 38%…so every year that the property tax increase is bigger than my pay raise, my disposable income is getting pinched. That’s happening consistently, so now I’m paying $500 between my property taxes and my homeowners’ insurance. That’s a pretty good chunk of money.”
The third and final public hearing, and setting of the millage rate, will take place at 6 p.m. during the regular Board of Education meeting.
Stephanie Hill is a staff writer covering Columbia County government for The Augusta Press. Reach her at stephanie@theaugustapress.com.
