Would this really be a property tax increase for Columbus residents?

It’s that time of year again to explain what legally is called a “property tax increase” but effectively isn’t one and actually instead is a chance for the Muscogee County School Board to decrease the amount Columbus residents pay.

For the 21^st straight year, the Muscogee County School District’s administration is proposing to keep the millage rate at 23.37.

But since 2000, Georgia law requires a taxing authority to publish a “Notice of Property Tax Increase” even if the millage rate remains the same. That’s because the governing body, such as the school district, benefits from an increase in the tax digest, based on new or improved property, which is projected to be 1 percent ($1,053,640) in Muscogee County during fiscal year 2017, ending June 30.

State law requires the board to roll back its millage rate an equivalent amount if it doesn’t accept the revenue from the increased tax digest, which is projected to be 0.052 mills this year. That would mean a tax break of $1.90 on a home with a fair market value of $125,000 and a reduction of $3.64 for non-homestead property with a fair market value of $175,000.

The only way keeping the millage rate at 23.37 would be an actual tax increase on a property owner is if that owner improves that property.

The rationale behind the legislation, known as the “Taxpayer Bill of Rights,” is to prevent “indirect property tax increases resulting from increases to existing property values in a county due to inflation,” according to the Georgia Department of Revenue.

The Muscogee County School Board can vote to decline the additional revenue from the increased tax digest and instead roll back the millage rate. The majority of the nine-member board previously has blocked such an effort by John Thomas of District 2, Mark Cantrell of District 6 and Frank Myers of District 8. But when only seven members were present during last year’s vote to adopt superintendent David Lewis’ tentative budget, countywide respresentative Kia Chambers joined that trio to delay the preliminary spending plan, saying they didn’t have enough time and information to make a responsible vote.

This year, Lewis is scheduled to give board members – and the public – an extra month to analyze his recommendation. Instead of conducting the required three budget hearings in May and June, this year’s hearings to allow for public comments from residents are set for April and June in the Muscogee County Public Education Center, 2960 Macon Road:

▪ April 10 at 5 p.m.

▪ April 17 at 6 p.m.

▪ June 12 at 5 p.m.

The board is scheduled to vote on the millage rate and the fiscal year 2018 budget during its June 19 meeting, starting at 6 p.m.

This story was originally published April 5, 2017 at 12:52 PM with the headline "Would this really be a property tax increase for Columbus residents?."