The city property tax rate is expected to remain the same next fiscal year.
During a work session Tuesday at City Hall, Chief Operations Officer Jammie Garrett reported to the city council that Jim Brigham, chief financial officer, had recommended no change to the city’s tax rate of 53 mills. Brigham did not attend the work session.
A mill is used to measure property taxes. A 1-mill increase, for example, would add $10 to a homeowner’s tax bill per every $100,000 of property value.
The council has final say on the city’s property tax rate and has scheduled a public hearing for 6 p.m. Aug. 27 at City Hall to discuss the Fiscal Year 2026 budget. The council will formally adopt the tax levy and the budget at its regular meeting Sept. 2 at the Municipal Complex, and the new fiscal year starts Oct. 1.
Even with no increase to the tax rate, the city stands to generate at least $106,000 in additional property tax revenue next year just from organic growth.
Lowndes County Tax Assessor Greg Andrews recommended the city budget based on a mill value – the amount of taxes 1 mill would generate – of $222,000. That’s up $2,000 from the value the city assigned to a mill this fiscal year.
That value increase comes from things like new homes or businesses – or expansions to homes or businesses – that are new to the tax rolls.
Andrews told The Dispatch his mill value estimate is “real conservative,” meaning additional revenue generated from a flat tax rate is likely to be more than what the city will include in the budget.
Zack Plair is the managing editor for The Dispatch.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 35 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
