Newton County holds second millage hearing as officials defend FY26 budget and residents voice affordability concerns

Newton County held its second public hearing on the proposed FY26 millage rate July 29, during which county officials said a tentative 10.31% property tax increase would raise the county millage to 8.567 mills to support $8.7 million in new budget spending.

The hearing matters because the millage funds county services such as public safety, roads, parks and administration; county staff and commissioners said the increase is needed to pay for salary adjustments, higher health insurance costs and staffing for projects funded by SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax).

Britney White, Newton County finance director, read the tax-increase statement into the record and described the FY26 budget additions. "Newton County has tentatively adopted a millage rate which will require property taxes to increase by 10.31%," White said. She told the board the tentative rate would be 8.567 mills, an increase of 0.801 mills from a no-increase rate of 7.766 mills. White also gave estimated household impacts: a home with a fair market value of $325,000 would see an increase of approximately $100.93; a non-homestead property with a fair market value of $300,000 would see an increase of approximately $96.12.

White and the presentation tied the proposed increase to $8,700,000 in new FY26 spending the…