As Lowndes County Finance Director Stephanie Black always reminds everybody, of the total 8.814 county millage, 1 mil goes to the Development Authority, and 1.25 mils to Valdosta-Lowndes Parks and Recreational Authority. Here is a table from the PDF of her presentation slides.
Property Tax Example City of Valdosta Resident Unincorporated Resident Property Value $200,000 $200,000 Assessed Value (40%) $80,000 $80,000 Homestead Exemption $(6,000) $(6,000) Net Taxable Base $74,000 $74,000 Tax Calculation: Lowndes County — 8.814 PY 8.974 $652 $652 Development Authority — 1.00 $74 $74 Parks & Recreation Authority — 1.25 $93 $93 Lowndes County Schools — 16.541 PY 16.839 $1,224 City of Valdosta — 8.001 PY 8.001 $592 Valdosta City Schools — 16.980 PY 16.980 $1,257 Total Estimated Taxes $2,668 $2,043
Since she made that table, Valdosta actually lowered its millage to 7.916, which in the above example would mean $50.32 less per year, for an example of how little difference these minor millage rollbacks or increases actually mean to taxpayers. The Valdosta Board of Education wants to increase its tax rate (but not its millage).
Last year the Lowndes County Commission voted on the millage during a Regular Session, Tuesday, August 22, 2017.
This year the county had a special meeting to vote on millage. Press release on the county’s website, 17 August 2018, Lowndes County rolls back millage rate
Lowndes County, Georgia— At 9:00 a.m. this morning, the Lowndes County Board of Commissioners met to set the 2018 millage rate. As promised during the preparation of the FY 2018-2019 budget, the Commission decreased the millage by approving a rate of 8.814 mills. The 2017 millage rate for Lowndes County was previously set at 8.974 mills.
According to Lowndes County Finance Director, Stephanie Black, “A millage is the tax levied by a county for county purposes at a tax rate per $1,000.00 of assessed property value. Each year, the rate is determined by dividing the budgeted tax revenues by the total digest and subtracting any rollbacks.”
“Lowndes County remains focused on fiscal responsibility. The Commission is committed to providing quality services for what they should cost, not what they could cost. This year’s rollback is a result of careful planning and the conservative approach taken by those supported by the county’s budget,” stated Lowndes County Commission Chairman Bill Slaughter.
For more information, please contact Lowndes County Public Information Officer, Paige Dukes, 229-671-2400 or pdukes@lowndescounty.com. END
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