Woodstock Holds Property Tax Rate Steady

WOODSTOCK, GA -- The Woodstock City Council on Monday voted to hold its millage rate at the same level.

Council members voted 4-1, with Council member Warren Johnson opposing, to keep the rate at 6.992. Council member Bob Mueller was not present.

The rate, which was the same figure implemented for fiscal year 2016, was used by city staff to build its fiscal year 2017 budget.

Chief Financial Officer Robert Porche said the city's current digest numbers are about 11 percent higher than previous year's figures. The digest has increased from about $1 billion to about $1.12 billion, according to latest figures provided by the Cherokee County Tax Assessor's Office.

Utilizing its typical property tax collection rate of 99 percent, Porche said the city can expect to generate about $7.2 million in property tax revenue for its operations.

However, since the city opted not to lower its rate to the rollback level of 6.775 mills, property owners whose assessments held steady or climbed will see a tax increase when their notices are mailed later this year.

This concerned Johnson, who has argued for the city to at least implement a partial millage rate rollback. Johnson inquired about the city's reserve fund. Porche said the city is "knocking on the door" of the recommended 20 percent threshold for the account, which is used for emergency expenditures.

Woodstock's reserve fund is about $5 million, Porch added. With that in mind, Johnson said he felt the city should give residents a tax break.

"I don’t understand why we can’t do a partial millage rate rollback.”

However, both Council members Tracy Collins and Bud Leonard said they wanted to hold the rate steady so the city can have the funding for projects it may need to embark on in the near future.

Collins added she wants Woodstock to continue to do the things it needs to do "while we have the money to do it."

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