The Gainesville City School Board tentatively chose to keep the millage rate the same as last year at its meeting Monday night.
In a 3-2 vote, the board set the millage rate at 6.85. Sammy Smith and John Filson cast the opposing votes.
School system director of finance Kathy Pethel presented the millage rate proposal. She said her department calculated it at both 6.8 mills and 6.85 mills, which was last year's millage rate, and felt it should be kept the same. According to district documents, for every 0.05 below the current 6.85 mills, collections will amount to $200,000 less revenue and save a household $5.00 for every $100,000 assessed value.
Pethel said the tax digest did increase. "The digest increased from the previous year of 3.6 (billion), and the digest is 3.9 (billion), anticipated for 2017. That increases our revenue, and we need those revenues in order to balance our budget."
At an earlier meeting, the board took a look at three different millage rate options. At that meeting, Superintendent Dr. Jeremy Williams explained that leaving the current rate of 6.85-mils in place would constitute a tax increase by definition, and would require three public hearings and the prerequisite legal advertising to announce each of those hearings as set forth under Georgia law. But, rolling the rate back would mean dipping in to the reserve fund, which made some board members uncomfortable. The board tentatively approved the budget using the 6.85 millage rate in May.
Also at the school board meeting, several schools were recognized for attendance and other awards, and a short tribute was given in honor of Gainesville High graduate Shaw Carter, who passed away earlier this month.
Public hearings are scheduled on the tax increase at the Gainesville City Board of Education Office on August 30 at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. and September 6 at 6 p.m.
