Waycross, Ware County and the Ware County Board of Education each adopted lower millage rates for the coming tax year in meetings last week.
Although each governing body approved a rollback rate, they are projected to receive more revenue than the current tax year. The school board and city commission approved their rates during called meetings August 12 while county commissioners approved their rate as well as that of the school board in a called session August 13.
The city adopted a rate of 8.3970. The school board OK’d one of 13.6340 while the county adopted one of 11.4190 while also approving the school board’s.
Because the rollback rates were adopted, property owners could realize a lower tax bill than last year, but it’s not guaranteed because prevailing market forces year to year affect property assessments, officials said.
Last year’s city rate was 8.550, which led to a deficit of $103,384 compared to the previous year. This year’s rate, the third straight rollback for the city, is expected to produce about $774,556 in revenue.
The millage was adopted by a 4-0 vote with District 2 Commissioner William Simmons absent.
The adopted school board rate is compared to last year’s rate of 13.7300 which left the board with a shortfall of $226,163 compared to the previous rate. Despite the lower rate this year, the schools will realize an estimated $987,759.
The county rate of 11.5029 in 2025 led to a revenue drop of $181,815. This year’s rate is anticipated to produce $1,185,815 in funds.
It was the ninth straight year the county voted for a lower rate over the previous year, Commissioner Leonard Burse said at the public hearing that preceded the 4-0 vote in the absence of Commissioner Timmy Lucas.
Burse said the county’s rate this year will be 4.175 mils lower than the one adopted in 2016. During the period 2015-16, the county has lowered the rate by 26.6 percent, he said.
“I want to commend the county, staff and employees,” Burse said following a similar comment by colleague Jon Tindall. “We do the best we can to be good stewards of taxpayer money, and hope to continue this (rollback) trend.”
Ware County Tax Commissioners Roger Collins recommended the rollback rates to each of the three bodies earlier this month. Votes on the millage came earlier than normal in order to enhance the county’s chances of sharing in a portion of a $844 million grant the state is offering to help offset the difference in properties with homestead exemptions and those with regular tax bills.
Collins said funds, which are not sufficient to cover every county in the state, are distributed on a first-come-first-served basis.
He also said because of the early millage votes, property owners likely would receive tax bills sooner than in past years.
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