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After a final required public hearing on Tuesday, the Troup County Board of Commissioners voted to finalize the millage rate for 2024.

The commissioners voted 3-1 to establish the millage rate at 9.923 mills, which is the same as last year. While the millage rate did not increase, many homeowners are seeing large increases in their taxes due to increased tax assessments primarily due to inflation in the housing market.

During the public hearing, several residents spoke out against the millage rate asking the commissioners to consider lowering it due to increased assessments.

The commissioners had considered lowering the rate as they have for the previous two years but said they also faced increased costs due to inflation.

The county’s FY 2025 budget at $50,757,918 was adopted on June 18. The budget saw an increase of $6.5 million, about an 11% increase over last year.

Troup CFO Sonya Conroy said that much of the increase came from salary increases for public safety as well as other personnel costs.

“That was about $2 million that we didn’t budget for last year. So that expenses this year, and we included another 5% increase effective in January for all employees,” Conroy said, adding that medical benefit costs for employees jumped by just over a million dollars.

The county also saw a $800,000 increase in property insurance costs, primarily due to the large claims from damage caused by the tornado in West Point.

County Manager Eric Mosley noted that the majority of property taxes, 63 percent of overall taxes, go to the school system. People that live in Hogansville and West Point also have additional city property taxes. LaGrange does not collect property taxes except for its downtown area relying on utility sales to fund the city.

Only Commissioner Ellis Cadenhead voted against the millage, saying he took issues with the increased property tax assessments.

“I know the millage rate has gone down the last two years, by 1.387 [mills] but assessments that will tremendously higher, much, much higher. We do not have any control over assessments whatsoever. The only control we’ve got is our budget and the millage rate. I have a real problem with keeping the millage rate the same,” Cadenhead said.

Commission Chairman Patrick Crews agreed with the struggle of increased tax assessments, saying he too saw an increase to his tax bill.

“Unfortunately our tax system is built on the appraised values of the property. As Commissioner Cadenhead said, we have no control over the appraised values of the property. That is done by separate board. We appoint that board but we don’t have control over that board. We have to stay to arm’s length from the Board of Assessors because you don’t want that to get political,” Crews said.

“We’ve seen all across the country, everyone is struggling with their assessed value of the property. And we can all agree that the assessed value of the property right now is a huge problem,” Crews said noting that inflation is affecting everything, including county budgets.

Resident Vickie Gaudreau asked if the commissioners do not control the Board of Assessors, who does?

“I get that y’all don’t control the assessments. But who does?” Gaudreau asked. “Who do they answer to?”

Gaudreau also said that just because a person on her street sold a house for more than it’s worth doesn’t mean she can as well, noting she doesn’t want to sell anyway.

She said that she has appealed her assessments before but hasn’t gotten anywhere.

“I know we can ask for an appeal. But the times that I’ve done that they [talked] about other people that sold their property, but there’s that and the other, that kind of effect that’s got nothing to do with me,” Gaudreau said.

Crews and Mosley explained that the assessors are accountable to the State of Georgia Department of Revenue, which requires that they keep assessments within a certain percentage of appraised values.

“They have that flexibility to stay within that rate,” Mosley said. “I certainly would recommend if you want to appeal to go to that office and appeal your taxes.”

“I have it hasn’t done any good whatsoever,” Gaudreau responded.

Tax Commissioner Shane Frailey explained that if you appeal your tax assessment and a reduction is denied, it’s because the value of your property has truly gone up. He said he works closely with the tax assessors and they do a good job.

“If they didn’t go in and do it the way they do. The county would get fined,” Frailey said.

Frailey explained that the crux of the matter is that with the current housing market, homes are going up in value. 

“I totally agree with you,” Frailey said. “I had a buddy and he’s selling a house and he didn’t realize all this was going on and he’s said, ‘Shane, something wrong. They’re willing to give $18,000 more for my house than what we put on the market.’”

“I try to be truthful to everybody and I will tell you, if you sold property or you bought property in the last three or four years, you’re part of that problem,” he said.

Crews said that because property assessments have increased over the last few years, the commissioners have reduced the millage the last two years, but they cannot continue to do so with the cost of everything else going up due to inflation.

We are paying more for things as well, he explained.