Franklin County BOC Equalizes Millage Rate for Incorporated Areas

For the first time in decades, Franklin County Commissioners have voted to set the millage rate for 2024 at the rollback rate of 8.636 mils for both the unincorporated and incorporated parts of the County.

Board of Commission Chair Jeff Jacques read the resolution announcing the equalized millage rates at a special called meeting Tuesday evening.

Initially, the County announced in the newspaper that the millage for the unincorporated areas would be set at 8.636 mils and for the municipalities at 9.278 mils.

WLHR News spoke to Jacques on Wednesday about the change.

“The previous advertisement in the paper had the incorporated areas with a higher rate but the Board was able to ultimately equalize the millage rates and this should be the case going forward,” he said. “It was the right thing to do as the County will soon be at the table with cities negotiating water sales, sewage treatment, SPLOST and LOST agreements.”

Lavonia Mayor Courtney Umbehant has been at the forefront of the push to equalize the millage rates. Last year, at a July work session, he spoke to Commissioners on behalf of the mayors of all five municipalities.

At that time he pointed out that both the County and the municipalities receive money from the insurance premium tax back from the State which he said the Cities put in their general fund, but the County uses that money to roll back the millage for citizens in the unincorporated parts of the County, which the mayors claim is unfair to municipal citizens.

At their August 2023 meeting the Board of Commissioners said they would find a way to equalize the millage rate for both city and unincorporated residents.

After the vote Tuesday night, Umbehant said he is grateful that the Commissioners kept their word.

Additionally, under the 2024 Tax Resolution, the millage rate for the IBA was set at 0.25 mils, and the Board of Education millage was set at 14.471 mils.

After the reading of the Tax Resolution, the Board voted unanimously to approve the 2024 millage rates.

Commissioners Elizabeth Busby and Josh Smith thanked County staff for their hard work on the millage rates for 2024.

The new millage rates go into effect immediately.