Residents urge Clarke County board not to raise millage at first FY27 budget hearing

At the Clarke County Board of Education's first FY27 budget and millage-rate hearing, Mr. Griner presented a tentative budget and a millage rate that would remain at 18.8 mills, while a series of public commenters urged the board not to raise property taxes.

Mr. Griner, who led the budget presentation, summarized proposed FY27 measures including step increases where applicable, continuation of a 403(b) match for eligible employees, retention and recruitment supplements (including special-education supplements), a $250 supply stipend for certain staff, funding for preliminary work on West Broad, an increased transportation budget and a $30,000 allocation for restorative-practices programming. He said estimated revenue was “a little over $264,000,000” and estimated expenditures were “almost $263,000,000,” leaving a little more than $1,000,000 to add to fund balance and preserving reserves near 20 percent. Mr. Griner said the millage was tentatively set at 18.8 mills — the same rate as recent years — and that property reassessments produced roughly a 4.25 percent tax increase in aggregate; to prevent a tax increase the millage would need to roll back to about 18.033 mills, he said.

Why it matters: the millage rate determines how property-tax revenue translates to individual homeowners’ bills. At the hearing multiple residents described the local impact of higher taxes and urged the board to find savings instead of raising the levy.

Public commenters who identified themselves emphasized household strain. "I'm asking for not to increase the mill rate. We cannot afford it," said Shannon Bushway, a parent and school social worker who said she has lived in Clarke County for more than 20 years and that rising taxes and housing costs are making the area unaffordable for single‑income households. Phyllis Childs, a retired teacher, told the board she would like the millage dropped and to “sharpen your pencils” because tax increases are hard on single people and those 65 and older. Jim Hopkins suggested the district could keep the budget flat if the millage were reduced to about 17 mills, urging the board to “live within your means.”

Mark Graham, a Coca‑Cola representative, said the company had seen fuel costs spike (he described a 40 percent increase for the Athens area in a recent period) and echoed calls for internal cost scrutiny rather than shifting the burden to homeowners. Rita Raines, who identified herself as a Clarke County School District employee, described staff and community members who are working in retirement or taking additional roommates because of high housing costs and asked the board to weigh affordability for workers when setting taxes.

The meeting was a public hearing, not a final vote on the millage. Board members adopted the meeting agenda at the start of the session and later adjourned; the record shows no final board action on the millage at this meeting. The chair reminded attendees that two more millage hearings were scheduled (one the next day and another on the 12th). The district read its public‑comment policy at the start of the hearing, noting speakers had three minutes and that board members would not respond during the meeting but the district may follow up within 10 working days under policy BCBI.

Next steps: the board will hold the remaining millage hearings as scheduled; any formal decision on millage would come after the hearing process and required notices and votes.