Franklin Co BOE to hold two more public hearings this week on Millage Rate

The Franklin County Board of Education will hold two more public hearings on their plan to raise property taxes before passing the proposed millage.

The Board held their first millage rate hearing last Thursday, Finance Director Chez Maxwell went over the reason for raising property taxes.

Maxwell said the tentative increase will result in a millage rate of 17 mills, an increase of 1.24 mills. He said without the tentative tax increase, the millage rate will be no more than 15.76 mills.

The proposed tax increase for a home with a fair market value of $175,000 is approximately $84.32 and the proposed tax increase for non-homestead property with a fair market value of $100,000 is approximately $49.60.

The Board also heard from two citizens and both asked why if the millage is staying the same their property taxes are going up.

One parent who spoke during the Public Comment section, Elizabeth Gates said it would be more beneficial, given current inflation, to lower property taxes.

“If we truly wish to help children, why would we take away from parents who can provide more for their children if taxes were not increased? And especially because of inflation. We have all felt the pressures of inflation. And for me to have to pay more takes away from my child and what she needs. So, if we really wanted to help children we would lower taxes and not raise taxes,” she told the board.

On Thursday, the School Board will hold a second millage public hearing at 8a in the School System administrative offices on Busha Road in Carnesville and another in the evening at 6p that same day.

The public is invited to one or both of those meetings and express their opinion on the property tax increase.