There will be no Property Tax increase for county operations,
but a slight increase in the fire millage rate.
Both the county Maintenance and Operation and the Bond portions of Forsyth County's millage rate will see no increase, as approved at the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners' July 30 meeting. The vote followed the third of three Public Hearings held regarding the millage rate.
Those two portions of county taxes, along with the Fire millage rate, were voted on as separate measures. Following the vote, the county Maintenance and Operation rate will remain at 3.834 mills. The Bond rate will remain at 1.196 mills. The new Fire rate is 1.841 mills, up from 1.765 mills in 2008. The lone increase in the Fire millage rate represents a total millage increase of 0.076 mills.
The approved Fire property tax increase would raise taxes on a home valued at $200,000 by approximately $5.47. The revenue generated by this increase will be put aside to fund future replacements of fire apparatus.
The proposed increase in the county Maintenance and Operation rate, which was not approved, was being considered to help offset a projected deficit in the county's 2010 preliminary budget. Without the increase, the Board of Commissioners will consider other measures for closing the gap between the preliminary budget and projected revenues. Cost-saving options that have been identified include reductions in county service levels, delay of county projects, employee furloughs, unpaid employee holidays, increases in employee costs for healthcare and staff reductions. These measures would come in addition to budget reductions and cut-backs already implemented by the county.
Labels: forsyth county, increase, millage rate, property tax
