Forsyth County Commission Adopts Millage Rates

FORSYTH COUNTY, GA — During two meetings in July, the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners adopted all millage rates levied in the county. The county’s portion of the overall millage rate is 7.936 mills, the same as last year.

During a July 23 special called meeting, the Board of Commissioners adopted a required resolution for all millage rates levied in the county, including the Board of Education and the new South Forsyth CID along with the county’s rates adopted July 18.

At the July 18 meeting, the board voted to adopt the county’s Maintenance and Operations (M&O) millage rate of 4.791 mills. Due to the growth in the tax digest, M&O property taxes levied by the county this year will increase by a net 7.42 percent over the rollback millage rate. The Board of Commissioners voted to approve the Fire rate of 2.175 mills and a reduced Bond rate of 0.970 mills.

These rates will fund the county’s 2020 general operating budget, which is currently in the preliminary stages of development. Forsyth County continues to have millage rates among the lowest in metro Atlanta.

A growth of 8.37 percent is the total growth over the 2018 tax digest, which means the anticipated 2019 total collections will increase. Of the 8.37 percent growth, 4.11 percent is due to new construction in 2018 and the remaining 4.26 percent derives from increased values from reassessments on non-homesteaded properties.

Any change in an individual tax bill will depend upon the change in assessed valuation for that property, and the value of any Homestead Exemption, which may also change with the assessed value.

Forsyth County has a “floating” Homestead Exemption, which is designed to keep the net taxable value at the prior year’s amount. This “floating” exemption only applies to the county M&O and fire portions of property tax bills.

Forsyth County staff, Finance Committee and Board of Commissioners will continue preparing the county’s preliminary 2020 budget, which is slated for adoption in October.