GREENE COUNTY
Last week, the Greene County Board of Education (BOE) met to announce a new millage rate of 10.311 and budget for fiscal year 2024.
The millage rate has dropped every year since 2018, and the BOE recently broke ground on a new elementary school being built off Meadow Crest Road. Greene County’s BOE rate is among the 10 lowest school board millage rates in the state of Georgia due to continued growth.
Greene County continues to experience considerable growth, resulting in an increasing tax digest. In turn, this contributes to higher ad valorem taxes received by the school district. Due to the county’s largely wealthy tax base, the school district is forced to “give back” 5 mills to the state.
This year, that contribution is $10.5 million. These give-back adjustments to the state are then redistributed back to less wealthy counties throughout the state.
A millage rate is the amount of tax payable per dollar on 40 percent of the assessed value of a property. Different mill rates are determined by county agencies, and in combination, they make up the overall tax bill.
In forming the new FY24 budget amounting to more than $90 million, the BOE was tasked with assuming unfunded cost increases determined by the state. This year saw the BOE receiving only 49 percent of its earned funding by the state.
However, several fiduciary requirements forced the district to account for added funding in several areas.
By far, the largest increase was to health insurance, which netted an increase from $11,340 per employee to $18,980 this year, totaling a cost of $1.3 million, a 59-percent increase in the employer-paid cost.
Other budget increases came from the closure of Athens Rutland Academy, which provided special education to emotionally disadvantaged kids; step increases; raises of $2,000 for teachers; increases to the student population at LOA adding over $1 million to the budget; textbook software licensing fees; and overall operating costs, such as fleet insurance, workman’s compensation and general liability coverage.
“I am grateful to CFO Dean Ware and our finance department for their diligent work in creating a sound and balanced budget that addresses challenges and keeps the burden off our community,” said Superintendent Dr. Chris Houston.
“Even though there was a decrease in state funding, through sound financial management and careful planning, we were able to lower the mill rate. With the average taxpayer facing rising prices due to inflation on a daily basis, we are grateful to be able to provide some relief in the area of school taxes in Greene County.”