Cherokee County adopts 2025 tax rates totaling 26.251 mills after public hearing on assessments

The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 5 unanimously adopted the county and school millage rates that will appear on 2025 tax bills, setting a combined total of 26.251 mills.

At a public hearing before the vote, county Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Marcus outlined the county's recommendation to maintain the county maintenance and operations (M&O) rate at 5.153 mills, the county fire rate at 2.888 mills and to reduce the parks bond rate slightly to 0.26 mills. The Cherokee County School District asked that the school M&O be set at 16.45 mills and the school bond at 1.5 mills, for a school total of 17.95 mills. Together those rates produce a grand total of 26.251 mills that will appear on tax bills.

Marcus said the proposed county rates are intended to preserve an adequate fund balance while limiting tax-rate increases. "We really have to know that the budget will work before we set our mill," Marcus said during his presentation. He noted the county currently has about 4.13 months of fund balance and that…