Gwinnett school board holds second public hearing on FY2027 budget, keeps tentative millage at 18.7 mills

Gwinnett County School Board held the second of three statutorily required public hearings on the FY2027 budget, and district Chief Financial Officer Masana Millard presented an overview of the tentative millage rate and digest projections. Millard said the tentatively adopted millage is 18.7 mills for maintenance and operation and 1.45 mills for debt service, a rate the board is proposing to leave unchanged from the prior year. "The tentative adopted millage was 18.7 mills for maintenance and operation and 1.45 for debt service," Millard said.

Millard explained that property taxes make up a significant portion of the district's operating revenue (roughly 42% local property tax versus about 55% state funds) and that most operating expenditures are for instructional services and personnel. Using a $400,000 market‑value home example, the presentation estimated an average annual increase of about $25 under current digest changes even with an unchanged millage; she described this as driven by changes in assessed values certified by the county assessor. The district adopted the FY27 budget on May 28, 2026, and Millard reminded the board the final millage adoption is scheduled for 6 p.m. on August 3; the district is soliciting public feedback through its budget web pages and a multilingual budget feedback tool.

The presentation included digest and reassessment details (estimated 2026 gross digest growth ~1.9%, net digest growth ~1.4% after exemptions) and a multi‑year view showing incremental millage reductions since earlier years. Millard also cited the statutory requirement for at least three public hearings under OCGA 48‑5‑32.1, which the district is meeting with this session and the August 3 meeting.