Camden County officials signal intent to set rollback millage rate after hearing heavy public opposition to proposed increase

Several Camden County commissioners said they intend to set the rollback millage rate at the county's Oct. 7 meeting after a lengthy public hearing in which dozens of residents urged the board to reject a tentatively advertised countywide rate of 14.1 mills and an advertised unincorporated rate of 2.6 mills.

Nancy Clark Gonzales, the county's chief financial officer, told the board a 10-year snapshot showed the county's net digest rose from about $1.25 billion in 2016 to $2.44 billion in 2025 and that the countywide rollback rate for tax year 2025 would be 11.929 mills (compared with last year's rate of about 12.10). She described the rollback as "the rate that needs to be taxed to give the county the same revenue that they received in the prior year," and said the unincorporated rollback is 1.123 mills.

Why it matters: Gonzales said the advertised increase was intended to support several capital priorities the county has discussed, including a proposed 300-bed jail (estimated at $50 million), a $3 million animal shelter, additional Joint Development Authority (JDA) funding and the county's planned takeover of parks maintenance in the unincorporated areas. Gonzalez told the board the proposed tax increase would generate reserves of roughly $3.5 million to reduce bonding needs; after accounting for SPLOST and other assumptions, she said the remaining borrowing need for the jail would be roughly $32.5…