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The Troup County Board of Commissioners voted to approve the FY2025 budget during a special called meeting on Tuesday evening, which included the final required public hearing on the matter.

The $60 million budget was approved 3-1 with Commissioner Ellis Cadenhead voting in opposition. Commission Chairman Patrick Crews cast a rare vote for the measure due to the absence of Commissioner Jimmy McCamey. Commissioners Lewis Davis and Morris Jones also voted in favor.

“I just have some real concerns moving forward with the tax assessments. I have some real problems [with them] until we get a good feel for where we are and where we need to be,” Cadenhead said.

The Board of Commissioners previously announced an intention to levy a 2024 property tax rate over the rollback rate for last year, which would have required a reduction of 5.53 percent to maintain the same taxes as last year.

Each year, the Board of Tax Assessors reviews the assessed value for property tax purposes of taxable property in the county. When the total taxable value of homes and businesses in the county goes up, tax assessors like cities, counties and school boards are required to calculate a rollback millage rate that would keep the total taxes collected the same. If the “rollback rate” is not used, they are required to notify the public.

Chairman Crews said an increase to the millage rate is unexpected but the current year’s tax digest will be more than the previous year. The commissioners are still debating whether to roll back some of the millage as it has done for the last two years. Citizens are invited to the public hearings on the millage, which will be held at the Troup County Government Center in LaGrange on July 2 at 5 p.m. and on July 16 at 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.