Friday, September 19, 2003
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Friday, September 19, 2003 |
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County sets publlic hearings for tax increase For the first time in nearly 10 years, the Coweta County Board of Commissioners is looking at a tax hike. The board is advertising tentative 2003 millage rates that reflect percentage increases for property owners in both the maintenance and operation millage rate and the fire district millage rate. However, the actual dollar increase in taxes resulting from the proposed millage rates will be minimal because of an additional $5,000 homestead exemption approved by the Board of Commissioners and passed by voters. The tentative millage rates keep the unincorporated maintenance and operations millage at the same rate as in 2002, the incorporated Maintenance and Operations millage is proposed at 5.13, and the Fire District millage is proposed at 2.50. The tentative rates reflect adjustments for insurance premium rollback and a need for additional funding for the county's Fire Department. Three public hearings have been set on the tentative millage rates: Sept. 23 at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m., and Sept 30 at 9 a.m. The actual 2003 millage rates are expected to be approved Sept. 30 following the final public hearing. The tentative millage rates reflect an overall one percent increase in unincorporated areas and a 7 percent increase in incorporated areas for maintenance and operations and a 24 percent increase in the Fire District tax. These percentage increases are being advertised according to state law reflecting recent reappraisals and growth in the tax digest. The tentative 2003 millage rate for unincorporated maintenance and operations is actually remaining at 3.93, the same level as in 2002. The 2003 millage rate for incorporated maintenance and operations has been tentatively set at 5.13 up from 5.00 in 2002. The difference between unincorporated and incorporated millage for maintenance and operations results from a rollback for insurance premium tax. The county must roll back the millage rate in unincorporated areas to reflect the insurance premium tax. That rollback is not reflected in the incorporated millage, because municipalities also receive the insurance premium tax and can reflect that in the municipal millage rates. The fire district tax millage reflects an increase from 2.05 in 2002 to 2.50 in 2003. The increase is to be used to provide additional personnel as the county's fire department grows and increases the level of service to citizens countywide. Looking at the unincorporated areas of the county, an increase in homestead exemption from $5,000 in 2002 to $10,000 in 2003 will actually result in slight tax savings for those living in a house with a fair market value of $100,000. That savings is approximately $3.25 if the value of the house has not changed from 2002 to 2003. The owner of a house with a fair market value of $200,000 will see a slight increase in tax. The increase is approximately $1.60 if the value of the house has not changed from 2002 to 2003. The owner of a house with a fair market value of $400,000 will see an increase in tax of approximately $37.60 if the value of the house has not changed from 2002 to 2003. Looking at the incorporated areas of the county, the owner of a $100,000 house will see either a tax savings of approximately $21.10 or a savings of approximately $17.85 if that house is located inside a county fire district. The owner of a $200,000 house will see either a savings of approximately $15.90 or an increase of approximately $5.35 if the house is located in a county fire district. The owner of a $400,000 house will see either a savings of approximately $5.50 or an increase of approximately $51.75 if the house is located in a county fire district. Again, these figures are based on houses that have not increased in value from 2002 to 2003. These figures are for taxes collected for the Coweta County Government and do not reflect taxes imposed by the school board, the various municipalities, or the state. The public is invited to make comments on the tentative millage rates at any of the three public hearings. The Board of Commissioners has tried to minimize increases needed to raise revenues required to continue providing services at a level citizens deserve.
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