Eastern Coweta County residents are probably breathing a sigh of relief this week after several government agencies announced their property tax rates for the next year.

Monday afternoon, the Coweta County Board of Education announced a drop in the tax rate of one quarter of a mill. The school system's maintenance and operation millage remains the same at 17.88, but the board dropped the rate on the bond portion of the millage from 2.50 to 2.25 for a total rate of 20.13.

A mill is one dollar per thousand dollars of a property's assessed value, which is 40 percent of its market value, minus any exemptions. Generally, a mill produces about $38 in taxes on a $100,000 home.

Later that day, Senoia Mayor Joan Trammell announced the city's millage rate would remain the same at 7.03 mills.

Trammell said that, while she would have preferred to cut the millage, several large projects, such as the city's construction of a sewer system, would have a big impact on the budget and she wanted to make sure the city would have enough funds to complete it.

Finally, Wednesday morning the Coweta County commissioners set their rate.

Residents in the incorporated county will see their rate drop from 6.42 mills to 6.26 mills, for a decrease of 2.49 percent. In the unincorporated county, the residents' rate drops 2.04 percent from 5.38 mils to 5.27 mills.

“We've cut the rate, but every year we've increased services,” Nelms said.

Value of the county's taxable property jumped from $1.431 billion in 1998 to $1.529 billion this year.

Since 1994, the county has decreased the millage rate in the incorporated area from 6.98 mills to 6.26 mills, while residents in the unincorporated area have seen their millage rate cut from 5.80 to 5.27.

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