On Monday, May 5, Clarkesville held a public hearing over a minor amendment to the city charter to align its property tax structure with that of surrounding municipalities.
Nobody spoke during the hearing.
Clarkesville has long assessed property taxes at 100% of a property’s value – unlike Habersham County and neighboring cities, which use a 40% assessment rate. The amendment updates Clarkesville’s formula to match the 40% standard.
Despite this change, the actual amount residents pay in property taxes would remain the same. To compensate for the lower assessment rate, the city’s millage rate will rise to 15 mills. Since a mill equals $1 per $1,000 of assessed value, the net effect on tax bills is neutral and would not raise taxes on residents.
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 earlier this year. “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.”
