On Monday, April 7, Clarkesville City Council approved a minor amendment to the city charter aimed at aligning its property tax structure with that of surrounding municipalities.
The idea was first discussed during a council work session late last year, following a review of the city’s current tax assessment formula. Unlike Habersham County and nearby cities that assess property taxes at 40% of a property’s value, Clarkesville taxed property at 100%.
The amendment won’t change the actual amount residents pay in taxes. Instead, it updates the tax formula to reflect a 40% assessed value—bringing Clarkesville in line with its neighbors. While this adjustment would result in a higher millage rate, the tax bill for residents would stay the same.
A fundamental change to the overall structure of the charter would require approval by a majority (as much as two-thirds) of Georgia’s legislative body. But Clarkesville’s charter contains a specific rule that enables council to make small changes to single line items.
“There’s a provision in the code called the Home Rule, which allows the city to change the charter under certain circumstances,” Clarkesville City Attorney Matt Skilling said. “Under these circumstances – as long as a proposed ordinance is published and notice is provided – over a period of 60 days we can have two consecutive meetings where the ordinance is passed.”
With Monday’s approval, Clarkesville’s millage rate rises to 15 mills, but the amount residents pay does not change.
A mill is equal to $1 per $1,000 in taxable property value, and property is now assessed at 40% of its value in Clarkesville since Monday’s vote.
“It’s a numbers game,” Councilman Brad Coppedge said earlier this year. “It comes to the same number. It’s just, when people see it (at 100%), there’s an immediate perception that people think they’re getting charged more…and it was a request to bring us in alignment with the other municipalities.”
