Each year, a school system may choose to propose a millage rate increase, leave the rate the same as the previous year or roll-back the millage rate. The Griffin-Spalding County School System (GSCS) proposal for 2024 is to leave the millage rate the same as the previous four years.
The district has tentatively adopted a millage rate of 16.742 for 2024. The 2023 millage rate for GSCS was 16.742, as was the GSCS millage rate in 2022, 2021 and 2020. In 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016 and 2015 the GSCS millage rate was 17.078, 18.066, 18.204, 18.570 and 18.742. From 2012 through 2014, the GSCS millage rate was 19.470, and it remained the same for three consecutive years before being rolled back six straight years until it reached the current rate.
The proposed millage rate of 16.742 means that a home with a fair market value of $100,000, that is assessed, would experience an increase of approximately $28.52. In 2023, a large percentage of homes in Spalding County increased due to increased assessed property value. However, some remained the same and some properties’ taxes decreased due to reduced assessed property value.
A millage rate is the means by which a school system or other organization generates revenue to fund their budget (levy taxes, in mills, for purposes of financing the expenses for the fiscal year).
The budget adopted by the GSCS requires a millage rate higher than the roll-back millage rate. Georgia law requires three public hearings to be held to allow the public an opportunity to express their opinions on the millage rate.
All concerned citizens are invited to the public hearings on this tax increase to be held in the GSCS Boardroom (216 South 6th Street, Griffin, GA) on September 17, 2024, at 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. and on September 24, 2024, at 6 p.m.
The millage rate of 16.742 mills is .713 mills above the roll-back millage rate of 16.029 mills. The millage would have been .713 mills lower had the recommendation been to roll-back the millage rate this year. GSCS recommends leaving the millage rate at 16.742 as it has been since 2020.
Other school systems in close proximity of Spalding County had the following millage rates for 2023:
Spalding: 16.742
Clayton: 19.600
Fayette: 19.250 and a bond rate of 0.80
Pike: 14.000 plus a bond rate of 0.899
Troup: 17.350
Rockdale: 20.000
Upson: 14.010
Muscogee: 23.321
Newton: 16.000
Lamar: 14.000 plus a 1.50 bond rate
The millage rate for 2023 was 16.742. The proposed millage rate for 2024 is 16.742. There is no proposed increase to the millage rate. The millage rate for 2024 will remain unchanged.