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Newton County adopts 2025 millage rate; county property tax increases about 10.31% to fund FY26 budget
Summary
On Aug. 5 the Newton County Board of Commissioners adopted a millage rate of 8.567 mills for county maintenance and operations (a 0.801‑mill increase), a change the county says will raise property taxes by about 10.31% to support the fiscal‑year 2026 budget. Commissioners and residents debated the increase at a required public hearing.
The Newton County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 5 adopted a millage rate that the county finance director said will increase county property tax revenue by about 10.31% to support the fiscal‑year 2026 budget. Finance Director Britney White told the board the adopted county maintenance and operations rate is 8.567 mills (an increase of 0.801 mills) and the county’s fire district rate is 0.892 mills.
White said the millage rate will “support the budget that was adopted on 06/17/2025, which was our FY26 budget,” and listed budget drivers that the county says explain the increase: about $3.7 million for a comp‑and‑class salary increase; $1.5 million tied to a 14% health‑insurance increase; $1.75 million for contingency and new positions to support SPLOST projects and public‑works crews; about $1 million for road repairs; and $750,000 for culvert replacements. White said those needs total about $8.7 million in new revenue for FY26.
The county’s tax‑increase statement read into the record said, “Newton County has…
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