The Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners is proposing a higher millage rate for 2019.
Public hearings on the millage rate — which is used to calculate property taxes for Gwinnett County property owners — are scheduled for early July.
The commission announced late Friday afternoon a proposed 2019 general fund millage rate of 7.400 mills. That's slightly higher than the 2018 millage rate of 7.209.
The proposed 2019 rate is also more than half a mill higher than the potential “rollback rate” of 6.876. The rollback rate is the figure that would produce the same total tax revenue as the prior year.
One mill equals $1 in property taxes for every $1,000 of assessed value. The proposed millage rate would collect about $17 million more from taxpayers than the rollback rate would.
For a homeowner with a homestead exemption on a house with a fair market value of $275,000, the rate hike would represent a tax bill increase of about $19.10 compared to the current millage rate.
“Whenever possible, the county has reduced the general fund millage rate and has done so three out of the last five years,” Commission Chairman Charlotte Nash said in a news release.
“However, the demand for services and the cost of providing them to our residents and businesses continue to grow. This proposed millage rate will allow us to maintain our current service levels and meet increased demand.”
In addition to the general fund millage rate, the county commission will consider separate millage rates for police; fire and emergency services; development and code enforcement; and recreation funds.
Last year’s overall county government millage rate was 13.319 mills.
The Gwinnett County government’s millage rate is separate from the millage rate adopted by the county’s Board of Education as well.
The school board is proposing a reduced millage rate for 2019.
Public hearings
Because the county government’s higher millage rate would create a tax increase, the county is mandated to hold three public hearings on the matter before the commission’s scheduled vote on July 16.
Two hearings are scheduled for Monday, July 8: one at 11 a.m. and the other at 2 p.m. The third hearing is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Monday, July 15.
All will be held in the auditorium of the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center, 75 Langley Drive in Lawrenceville.
Comments can also be submitted online at gwinnettcounty.com.
