Cobb County presents proposed millage; finance staff recommends keeping general fund rate flat at 8.46 mills

Cobb County held a second public hearing July 16 on the 2025 proposed property tax increase as required by Georgia law, and finance staff recommended leaving the county's general fund millage unchanged at 8.46 mills while trimming the fire fund rate slightly from 2.99 to 2.97 mills.

The hearing focused on the county's four millage rates: the general fund, the fire district fund, the Cumberland Special Services District (CSSD) Fund 2 and the 6 Flags Special Services District. The Deputy Finance Director said the county recommends keeping the general fund and CSSD2 millage flat at 8.46 and 2.45 mills respectively, reducing the fire fund 0.02 mills to 2.97, and setting 0 mills for the 6 Flags district because Cobb County no longer collects that levy following the creation of the city of Mableton. The deputy finance official also told the board the county's net taxable digest grew 3.39% in 2025 after exemptions were applied.

Why it matters: The millage setting now governs taxes billed this fall for services that already have been delivered this year; adoption of both the millage and the FY26 budget is scheduled for the board's July 22 meeting at 7 p.m.

Presentation highlights and fiscal context

The Deputy Finance Director (Cobb County Finance Department) told the board that a 0.01 mill change in the fire fund is approximately $500,000, so the recommended 0.02-mill reduction represents roughly a $1 million decrease in fire fund revenue. The deputy finance official also explained how the homestead exemption''the "floating" homestead protection for primary residences'helps keep general-fund bills relatively steady for qualifying homeowners even as market values rise. "If the millage rate for the general fund remains consistent at 8.46 mills ... your bill for the general fund... remains essentially the same as long as the millage rate itself is not touched for that primary homestead owner," the deputy finance official said.

Public comment: residents press for rollback, call for spending scrutiny

More than a half-dozen residents spoke during the hearing, urging commissioners to roll back the millage or to rework the county budget. Jan Barton told the board, "We are here tonight to ask you to roll back the millage rate and not raise our taxes yet again." Betty Hayden criticized perceived budget growth and asked for greater itemization and accountability: "We are spending 25,000,000 above budget to construct a new share facility ... We need better accountability to the public specifying how our money is spent for each line item in the budget." Karen Hobson and Christine Rosman described sharp increases to individual homeowners' bills and called for tighter spending controls.

Board response and next steps

Chairwoman Cupid said she hears residents' concerns and that the millage hearing addresses last year's budget and collections while the FY26 budget hearing later in the evening addresses next year's spending. She announced an online virtual town hall to allow more dialog with staff and residents, saying the format of public hearings can feel "one-sided" and that a virtual session may allow more back-and-forth.

Commissioner Gambril asked staff to clarify what language would appear on next week's agenda for the fire fund; the Deputy Finance Director replied there had been no change to the proposal at that time and staff awaited further board direction. Commissioners generally emphasized the county's conservative budgeting approach and warned that reducing the millage below the level budgeted for could require revisiting FY26 assumptions or create a shortfall in the current year.

Public record and timing

The board opened and then closed the millage public hearing during the July 16 special meeting; final adoption of millage rates and the FY26 budget is set for the board's July 22 meeting at 7 p.m. Chairwoman Cupid and staff urged homeowners to confirm or apply for the homestead exemption (deadline noted by staff as April 1) to preserve the protections described in the presentation.

Ending

No formal vote on millage rates occurred at the July 16 hearing. Staff recommended the rates above and will carry those recommendations, along with any board direction, to the July 22 adoption meeting.