Board of Commissioners Approves Advertising Lower Millage Rate The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners (BOC) approved advertising a proposed millage rate for the 2023 fiscal year, which reflects a reduction in the current millage rate to fund the county’s 2023 budget.The advertised rate for maintenance and operations is 4.995, down 4.2% from the current millage rate of 5.212 mills. One mill is equal to $1 per $1,000 of assessed value. A property’s assessed value is 40% of its fair market value. The BOC cannot approve a rate more than the one that is advertised. “Homeowners who have a homestead exemption will see at least a 4.2% decrease in the county maintenance and operation tax,” said Chairman Harry Johnston. “For that portion of the tax bill, those properties are protected from any increase in property value assessments. Their exemption amount automatically increases to keep their net taxable value the same.” As far as non-homestead properties are concerned, the county maintenance and operation tax will increase by the same percentage as its increase in property value assessment, minus the 4.2% rollback of the millage rate. For the average of all properties combined, the advertised rate represents an 8.4% increase from the state-calculated rollback rate of 4.609 mills. This will be the 11th consecutive year the BOC has not increased the millage rate. In the last eight of 10 years, the Board has reduced the millage rate.The BOC also is considering lowering the fire district millage rate to 2.984 mills, down from the current rate of 3.292 mills. The fire district budget, which is funded by the fire district millage rate, is estimated to total about $46 million and would fund 11 new positions and a 7% cost-of-living increase for fire personnel and staff.The Finance Department is recommending the parks bond millage rate be rolled back to 0.354 mills, down from 0.434 mills. The BOC does not control the school district tax rate, or any millage rates set by local city jurisdictions.
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