Toccoa commissioners to advertise vote after discussion of rolling back millage rate

Toccoa commissioners discussed options on Aug. 11 to prevent higher property tax bills after a Stephens County reassessment, agreeing to advertise a vote at the next meeting to set the city’s millage rate.

Vice Mayor Evan Hellenga said he was "surprised to see our Tax Increase in the paper" and urged the commission "to be true to our constituents" by "strongly consider[ing] rolling back the Millage Rate to negate this proposed increase to our City property owners." Hellenga suggested a rollback to 5.2% to offset the assessment-driven increase.

Mayor Terry Carter said the city’s prior millage at 6% would have generated about $1.3 million under last year’s digest but, given the reassessment, keeping a 6% rate now would produce roughly $1.5 million. Carter said the city’s economic-development work — including support for the Development Authority and Chamber of Commerce — aims to grow the tax digest so the burden can be spread as more homes and businesses locate in Toccoa.

Commissioner Gail Fry said she was also surprised by the reported tax increase and said she would "love to see the City lower our taxes and take some of the burden off of our citizens."

City attorney Jay Doss advised the commission that, because the discussion was to reduce the millage (a rollback) and the commission did not intend to increase revenue beyond the published expectation, state law does not require an additional public hearing after publication. Based on that advice the commission agreed to advertise a vote to set the millage rate at its next meeting.

No members of the public spoke on the millage rate during the meeting. The commission will take a public vote after the required advertisement period.