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Stephens County adopts $41.6 million FY2026 budget after public hearing; M&O millage kept at 10.38
Summary
After a public hearing with multiple residents raising concerns about property assessments and exemptions, the Stephens County Board of Commissioners adopted a $41,623,134 government‑wide fiscal year 2026 budget and held the unincorporated maintenance and operations millage at 10.38 mills.
The Stephens County Board of Commissioners adopted the fiscal year 2026 government‑wide operating budget and authorized the chairman to sign the adopting resolution after a public hearing in which residents raised questions about rising assessments, exemptions and the special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST).
County staff presented the proposed FY2026 government‑wide budget at $41,623,134, a 3.15% increase over fiscal year 2025. The proposal includes an unincorporated maintenance and operations (M&O) millage rate of 10.38 mills, unchanged from FY2025, and a projected net millage of 13.96 mills (a 0.38‑mill decrease from last year). County finance director James Elrod was present for questions from the commission.
Why it matters: The budget funds essential services including EMS, volunteer fire, 9‑1‑1 and emergency management, the court system and the sheriff’s office. County staff told the board the increase is driven primarily by higher health insurance, liability insurance and workers' compensation costs and by costs for essential public safety services.
Board and staff details County staff…
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