Pickens County approves 2025 millage rate, county portion set at 6.772 mills

The Pickens County Board of Commissioners approved the county's 2025 millage rate on a voice vote, adopting a county rate of 6.772 mills that county staff recommended. Commissioners voted to forward required paperwork to the tax commissioner's office so state billing can proceed.

County staff said the recommended county rate reflects growth in the digest from new construction and reassessments, deductions for exemptions including the new floating homestead exemption, and local option sales tax collections. Staff explained the recommended rollback rate determined by state formulas was 7.6789 mills; commissioners approved an additional 0.7-mill reduction from that rollback, producing the 6.772 figure.

Officials walked the board through calculations they said include the 2024 digest, $147 million in new construction added for 2025, and $180 million in reassessments. A member of the meeting corrected an early arithmetic mix-up about the combined county and school total; the county's presenter acknowledged the correction and the county proceeded with the motion to adopt the county portion. The board chair opened the floor for a motion; after a motion and second, the board voted "Aye" and the motion carried unanimously.

The county presenter said the school board set its portion at 11.34 mills; staff quoted the combined total as 18.112 mills after the correction by the tax office. The presenter emphasized that the board of commissioners must approve the combined total by law but does not have authority to change the school board's rate. Staff said the county will file the required documentation with the state tax commissioner's office.

The board did not record individual roll-call votes in the transcript; the clerk announced the motion carried and staff will deliver signatures and forms to the tax commissioner's office for state processing.