Even though Peachtree City is not planning to raise its millage rate this year, the net result will be a property tax increase for home and business owners whose assessed property values increased from last year to this year.

Because of this, the city will hold three public hearings to take input from residents about the proposed millage rate of 5.533 mills. The first two hearings will be held on the same day — Monday, July 30 at 8:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. — followed by a third hearing Monday, Aug. 6 at 7:30 a.m.

All three hearings will be conducted at City Hall and will be before the City Council.

The millage rate is used to calculate the amount of property taxes for a given parcel. This proposed 2007-2008 city budget totals $28.36 million, and includes six new firefighters and three new police officer positions in addition to an accountant and a one-year contract for a full-time assistant city planner.

Council plans to spend down the city’s cash reserves, using $852,000 to balance the budget, which will still leave the city with a healthy cash reserve on hand for emergencies, officials have said.

The general fund budget represents a 9.25 percent increase from last year.

The six new firefighters will add two firefighters per shift, and the city is hopeful the new staffing will allow the city’s ISO rating to be dropped, which would result in homeowner’s insurance savings for residents.

The three new police positions are being added to patrol the city’s cart paths, but Police Chief James Murray said he won’t be able to assign officers to that beat until his department gets up to a full staffing level. Once five officers currently at police academy are hired, the department will still have several open positions and several other officers are planning to leave, Murray has said.

In a bid to recruit more police officers, the city is also budgeting a 4.5 percent hike to the starting pay for police officers and corporals, though that figure is well short of the initial raises sought by Murray. In previous budget meetings, council has discussed the possibility of phasing in additional increases by evaluating the issue each year.

Murray has said that the city’s low starting salary is a significant reason potential recruits are bypassing Peachtree City to join other agencies which offer a more attractive pay scale.