The Baldwin City Council has been wrangling for two weeks with millage rate and property tax numbers in order to come to a consensus on the city’s tax rate. Now Habersham questioned those numbers as presented by Chief Administrative Officer Emily Woodmaster at Tuesday’s work session.
One number used in computing the millage rate was the “Other Net Changes to Taxable Digest.”
That number represents “new” growth or new structures or properties not previously on the digest that were added this year. The form required by the Department of Revenue, referred to as a PT 32.1, showed net changes to Baldwin’s tax digest in 2022 as $5,712,137 in new growth.
For the last year, the city council has been vocal about its growth with coming structures and businesses. However, the city’s 2023 PT 32.1 showed a -$1,377,805. That number would represent a loss of property either through de-annexation, demolition, or a disaster.
After Now Habersham questioned that number, Woodmaster came back and acknowledged it was incorrect. Baldwin did experience new growth and additions to the digest to the tune of $7,094,660, an $8,472,465 swing.
In dollars, the amount effectively increased the property taxes for the city by an average of $83,677, depending on the approved millage rate.
Prior to Now Habersham’s reporting, the city council said they could not afford a full millage rate rollback and, instead, announced their intention to pursue a partial rollback. However, once the discrepancy in the figures was brought to their attention, council members changed their minds.
Without mentioning the discrepancy that Now Habersham discovered, Baldwin’s Acting Mayor Alice Venter took to social media Thursday night and announced, “The Baldwin City Council is proud to announce that we will be doing a full rollback on our current millage rate.”
She adds that the millage rate will be reduced from 9.342 to the full rollback rate of 8.485 mills for Habersham County property owners.
Banks County property owners will see the same effect. Their millage rate will be reduced from 3.465 to 2.666 mills.
The Baldwin City Council will vote on the city’s millage rate at Tuesday evening’s regular council meeting.
