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Decatur certifies 11.2 mills as 'estimated rollback' for county assessment notices
Summary
City staff advised commissioners that recent state law lacks a single calculation method for the new 'estimated rollback millage' required for county assessment notices; the Commission certified 11.2 mills to DeKalb County as a placeholder for the notice, with the final adopted tax rate to be set at a later meeting.
City staff briefed the Commission on new state requirements for an "estimated rollback millage" to appear on county assessment notices and recommended certifying an 11.2‑mill figure to the DeKalb County assessor for the May assessment notice.
The city manager explained that recent legislation (cited in the meeting as House Bill 581 and House Bill 992) requires a rate for the county assessment notice but provides no uniform calculation or guidance. Staff told commissioners that DeKalb County’s tax commission would not calculate the rate for municipalities and that the city could certify a figure for the purpose of complying with the notice deadline. The manager recommended 11.2 mills as an estimate "purely for the purpose of providing a number to the DeKalb County tax assessor," clarifying that the final maintenance & operations (M&O) millage the Commission adopts in June could differ.
Commissioners asked clarifying questions about the relationship between bond and M&O millage and homestead exemptions. Staff reiterated the certified rate is to meet the county’s deadline and that a subsequent public meeting will set the tentative and final rates. A motion to certify 11.2 mills passed on a voice vote; staff noted the certification merely meets the assessment-notice requirement and does not directly change individual tax bills until the final rate is adopted.
Key takeaway: the Commission complied with the county deadline by certifying 11.2 mills as an estimated rollback rate while reserving final tax-rate decisions for the upcoming millage-setting meeting.
