Jones County held a public hearing Aug. 28 on proposed millage rates and the effect of reassessments on property taxes. County staff presented an advertised millage of 12.963 mills for unincorporated areas (down from FY2024’s 14.7 mills) and discussed a proposed rollback calculation; the board did not adopt a final millage at the hearing.

The hearing drew public comment from resident Mark Ross, who said published digest figures indicate a $869,000 increase in taxes for 2025—about 6.7%—and asked the board not to pass a new tax increase. “Please don’t raise taxes again for this year,” Mark Ross said, citing his review of the county figures and building permit counts.

County staff (Jason, county staff member) and commissioners explained the apparent revenue increase is driven largely by new growth and reassessments rather than a higher millage rate. “It’s new growth in the county because when you roll the millage rate back to exactly what it was last year ... unless you’ve had something done to your house that would increase the value ... it’s new houses or new business,” Jason said.

Why it matters: the advertised rates reduce the millage per $1,000 of assessed value but the certified digest can capture newly assessed value (new construction, discovered improvements or reassessments), producing higher total tax revenue even when the rate falls. Ross and other speakers tied the revenue change to both new permits and assessment adjustments; county staff explained the digest reflects values as of Jan. 1 and that some property changes completed after that date will be taxed in the following cycle.

Details presented at the hearing:
- Advertised millage: 12.963 mills (unincorporated), compared with FY2024’s 14.7 mills; a reported rollback figure discussed was about 14.219 mills for incorporated areas. The board framed these as decreases of roughly 1.7–1.8 mills from prior years.
- Resident-calculated changes: Ross cited a $869,000 increase for the county (6.7%) and said the Board of Education’s parallel proposal was about $919,000, a combined $1,789,000 in new taxes for 2025.
- Building permits (single-family): 2025 year-to-date 40 (projected ~60 by year end), 2024: 90, 2023: 78, 2022: 115, 2021: 137. Commercial permits were described as “a handful” with counts reported as 2 (2022), 1 (2023), 1 (2024) and 1 (2025).
- Other clarifications: staff described revisions made during the revaluation (overrides removed, previously omitted improvements discovered and added to the digest) and explained the rollback calculation form that converts reassessed value into a millage equivalent when computing the rollback rate.

Board and staff remarks stressed budget constraints and choices. Commissioners said they have instructed department heads to hold budgets flat for the year, absorbed more than $500,000 in insurance cost increases, and included a roughly 2% pay-scale cost-of-living adjustment. One commissioner said that holding the budget to last year’s dollar total without accounting for insurance and personnel cost increases would force cuts to services or staff.

Board members asked staff and the tax assessor for further detail on how much of the revenue increase represents true new growth versus reassessment adjustments. Staff noted the tax assessor’s office will provide more complete digest numbers later (a June digest update was referenced) that will better show the breakdown and inform future rollbacks. Board members said they expect continued rollbacks in coming years as the digest and revaluation process stabilizes.

No adoption: the board approved the meeting agenda at the start of the hearing and took public comment; the transcript shows no formal vote adopting the advertised millage rate during this session. The hearing concluded with board discussion and a motion to adjourn.

The county directed staff to supply itemized lists and additional detail on the digest changes—properties with no physical change whose assessed taxes nonetheless changed, and properties with newly identified improvements—so commissioners and the public can better see how reassessments and new growth contributed to the reported revenue increase.