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Pickens school board debates raising operating millage, reviews debt-service calculation
Summary
At the Sept. 22 meeting the board heard the annual debt-service update (debt service millage set at 52 mills) and debated whether to adopt the auditor rollback (104.8 mills) or a higher rate allowed under CPI-plus-population growth (options cited: 108.8 local calc; 109.1 statutory cap).
The School District of Pickens County Board of Trustees reviewed the district’s debt-service obligations and held extended discussion on the operating-millage rate after the county’s 2025 reassessment.
Matt Owens, director of financial services, explained that the debt-service committee set the debt-service millage for tax year 2025 at 52 mills — a 1-mill reduction from the prior year — and stated the approximate value of one debt-service mill at $863,233. He said debt-service payments to be made total $48,986,561.
On the operating side, Owens said the auditor calculated a rollback operating millage of 104.8 mills for tax year 2025 (a 5.2-mill reduction from the 2024 rate of 110 mills). He described board options under state law to adopt a higher rate by applying CPI plus population growth; examples discussed included the statutory example of 109.1 mills and a local calculation of 108.8 mills. Owens told the board the new assessed value used in local calculations was reported in the packet; he estimated the additional revenue from moving to 109.1 would be about $3,700,000 based on reassessment values.
Board members expressed contrasting views. Supporters of taking the higher option said it would be a proactive measure to preserve funding for programs, staffing and future needs, warning that "when it's gone, it's gone." Opponents emphasized reassessment effects on non-primary residences, businesses, vehicles and renters and said primary residences are exempt from the operating millage calculation. Staff clarified reassessments occur every five years (the county delayed one year this cycle) and that the district would still set millage annually as part of the budget process.
The transcript records the board taking voice/hand votes on the option to adopt 109.1 and then on the rollback rate of 104.8; motions, seconds and prompts for "all in favor" are recorded but a roll-call tally with named yes/no votes is not in the transcript excerpt.
