Clarke County School District will hold its first of three millage rate hearings tonight, along with the presentation of its 2024 proposed fiscal year budget. The millage rate, or property tax rate, is set to remain the same as last year at 18.8 mills in the tentative budget approved 5-3 by the Clarke County Board of Education during their May 11 session. The property tax rate dropped last year for the first time in more than five years from 20 mills in 2022 for the current 18.8 mills. Property taxes are the largest source of funding for the school district.
Although the proposed millage rate remains the same, some Athens-Clarke County residents could see an increase in their property taxes. The change in property tax depends on how their assessed property value has changed from last year. However, properties in the county overall continue to increase in value.
“We are not doing a rollback [of the millage rate] because we need to increase revenues,” said Board of Education member Tim Denson in conversation with WUGA. “Everything is more expensive… I think right now, this is the correct move that we’ll keep [the rate at] 18.8.”
Tonight’s hearing will be held at the Vernon Payne Meeting Hall at 595 Prince Avenue at 6 p.m and the second hearing will be in the same location on Wednesday, May 24, at 4 p.m. The board plans to vote on the annual budget at their June 1 board meeting.
