Dougherty County Commission looks at keeping property tax rates unchanged

ALBANY — There is good news for Dougherty County taxpayers in 2023, as recommendations have come in for no property tax increases for the current budget year.

The county’s tax digest increased by about 2% over the previous year, meaning it will take in a slightly larger amount of money.

Under state law a government is deemed to effectively raise taxes if the millage rate is not cut by an amount corresponding with the growth in the tax digest, so a series of public hearings will be held before the Dougherty County Commission approves its proposed millage rates. The dates for those meetings had not been set as of Monday morning.

As recommended by county financial consultant Edmund Wall and the board’s Finance Committee, the overall tax rate paid by property owners throughout the county for general fund maintenance and operation would remain at 19.069 mills. The rate for the special service district fund that pays the costs of fire protection and recreation for residents in unincorporated Dougherty County also would remain unchanged at 9.173 mills.

One reason Wall gave for not rolling back the taxes that will be brought in due to the growth in the tax digest is that federal money allocated during the COVID-19 pandemic will no longer be flowing to the county.

“That money’s gone,” he said.

The county has a history of being financially conservative by underestimating revenue and overestimating expenses, and that has kept it on a strong financial footing, the consultant said. One way the county’s budget puts expenditures on the high side this year is that it fully funds 153 positions that are currently vacant.

“Those are all in your budget as if they are filled,” Wall said. “Your vacant positions assure you every year you’re going to end up with a little extra. That’s your ace in the hole.”

That practice of funding unfilled positions should continue to some extent, Commissioner Ed Newsome, who is a member of the Finance Committee, said in agreement.

“I think you need to fund them every year,” he said. “That is your piggy bank.”

Over the past year, inflation has increased by much more than the 2% increase represented by the growth in overall property values, so the county is going to need the additional revenue, Commissioner Clinton Johnson said.

“Even though the millage rate doesn’t change, it does raise a little more money,” Johnson, also a Finance Committee member, said during an interview following the meeting. “To take care of our necessary expenditures we’re going to need to stick to the same millage rate.”

Nearly all of the increased property values come in the categories of businesses and industry, not in residential property, he said.

“Most residential properties didn’t change,” Johnson said. “There were some residential increases, but it was very minimal.”

Staff Photo: Alan MauldinAlanMauldin[email protected]
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