City staff recommended that the Statesboro Mayor and Council keep the city's millage rate at 8.625 following a public hearing Sept. 2, 2025, where no members of the public spoke against the proposal. The council opened and closed the hearing the same morning and scheduled an evening session for additional public input.

In a morning presentation, staff member Pena highlighted the city's FY2026 budget changes and said the general fund increased while the overall budget declined. "My recommendation to the mayor and the council is to, keep the millage rate at 8.625," Pena said during the presentation.

Why it matters: Pena told the council that much of the general fund supports employees and public safety. He said the city adopted a pay plan in January 2024 to retain employees amid regional growth and hiring pressures and that rolling the millage back would reduce revenue while fixed expenses continue.

Key details: Pena said the FY2026 budget is roughly $87 million and that the general fund rose to about $27.37 million, with roughly 67% of that supporting employees and fringe benefits. Using an example of a $250,000 home, Pena calculated the taxable value and estimated an annual tax bill of $845.25 at the current rate and described the difference between keeping and rolling back the millage as about $66.25 a year for that example.

Public response and next steps: No speakers registered in the morning session to speak for or against the proposed millage rate. The council closed the hearing and the mayor reminded residents there would be an evening hearing at 6:30 p.m. in council chambers for additional comment. The presentation recommended maintaining the rate; the transcript does not record a final council vote on a millage ordinance at the Sept. 2 session.

Context: Pena contrasted the city's millage with other local taxing authorities and noted the city covers a relatively small geographic portion of the county, which affects revenue per mill. He also noted one mill in Bulloch County raises about $3.79 million countywide and that one mill in the city raises about $1.2 million within the city limits.

The council directed staff to continue outreach; a separate evening hearing was announced for public input.