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Lowndes County to send corrective letters after state omits special millages from assessment notices
Summary
County Manager Paige Dukes told commissioners that state guidance removed special-service district millages from assessment notices after a change in law, leaving nearly five mills off notices; staff recommends mailing a corrective letter at an estimated vendor cost of $25,000 while seeking a legislative fix next year.
County Manager Paige Dukes told the Lowndes County Commission that a change in state law and guidance left special-service district millages off recently mailed assessment notices and that staff recommends mailing a corrective letter to affected property owners.
"The issue of only the O and M millage being listed on the assessment notice was a change that came when House Bill 581 was updated to House Bill 92," Dukes said. She said the Department of Revenue advised that special-service district millages "are not allowed to be placed on that assessment notice." Dukes said the omission means the notices do not reflect nearly five mills — including industrial authority and fire district millages — and may be causing fewer appeal filings than expected.
Dukes said staff and members of the countys legislative delegation have discussed possible fixes and that the Department of Revenue told counties that they may send a separate letter containing the full millage information provided the county does not label the mailing an "assessment notice." "So Lisa Bryant has contacted the vendor that sent out the assessment notices. They can prepare the letter as the Department of Revenue said that they would be okay with. The cost of doing that, is around $25,000," Dukes said.
Commissioners discussed the effect on taxpayers and the importance of clear communication. Dukes said the county has spoken with the Association County Commissioners of Georgia and expects legislators to try to resolve the issue next session. "I do expect there to be some movement in the legislature to take care of this next year so that we don't have this problem yet," she said.
The presentation also covered practical next steps: staff recommended the board of assessors contact the vendor to prepare and mail the informational letter; commissioners did not take a recorded vote on the mailing during the session. Dukes also noted that appeals were "up around a 100 as of today," which she attributed in part to the incomplete notices.
County officials said they will continue working with state agencies and the vendor on the wording and delivery of the corrective mailing and on voter education related to homestead and senior exemptions ahead of the next election cycle.
