Oak Hill commission sets proposed millage at 5.682% for TRIM notice

The Oak Hill City Commission voted 4–1 to set the proposed millage rate at 5.682 percent for the property tax TRIM notice, a figure staff said is the highest rate the commission could adopt before the public hearing process.

Vince, a city staff member on the phone, told commissioners that state rules now require a supermajority vote to adopt any rate above the rollback and unanimous approval for rates above the rollback-plus-10 threshold. "For this current fiscal year, anything above the rollback rate requires a super majority vote," he said, describing the new state-law nuance. The commission debated balancing the desire to lower taxes with the need to maintain reserves should unanticipated costs arise.

Mayor Taylor and a majority of commissioners supported submitting the higher rate as a protective measure because the figure can be lowered before final budget adoption. Opponents argued voters and residents would prefer the rollback. The roll-call vote recorded four yes votes and one no. Staff confirmed that the millage figure entered on the TRIM forms would be 5.682 percent and reiterated that the commission may lower the rate later once the budget-to-actual numbers are finalized.

The action moves the TRIM-notice step forward in Oak Hill’s budget calendar; staff reminded the commission of required public-notice and advertising timelines that affect the fall hearing schedule.