Milton has posted a Community Update in advance of public hearings on its proposed 2018 millage rate to explain why it plans to keep the rate unchanged at 4.731 mills – as opposed to rolling it back to offset higher Fulton County property tax assessments.
The hearings are scheduled for the Council Chambers at City Hall, 2006 Heritage Walk, at 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., Aug. 6, and at 5:45 p.m., Aug. 13. After the third hearing, the City Council will vote on the millage rate.
Why not roll back the millage rate? Milton cited capital projects pushed back a year because of Fulton's delayed 2017 tax digest; Milton's millage rate cap of 4.731 mills; uncertainties created by House Bill 710, which allows a Nov. 6 vote on a new homestead referendum to "substantially eliminate" property tax hikes caused by the spike in tax assessments; and the fact, 2018 final assessment appeal data are not yet available. Information: https://bit.ly/2Ad6YwY
Maintaining the existing millage rate, the city says, “allows us to move forward with those 2017 deferred capital projects, ensures compliance with our fiscal policy regarding reserves, and takes a conservative fiscal approach during an uncertain time with numerous unknowns (that is, the unresolved final 2017 tax digest and potential financial impact of the proposed homestead exemption).”
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