Although the county's millage rate will be going up, county Finance Director Angela Jackson told commissioners that the amount of money many people pay in property taxes should actually go down. She previously told the commission a 5-mill increase was needed to balance the county's $167.4 million fiscal year 2012 budget, while warding off a deficit that, at one time, was expected to reach $23 million.
She told commissioners on Tuesday that the millage-rate increase was needed because of drops in property values in the county. She said 8,583 property-value appeals, this year, have caused property revenues to decrease $5 million.
Commissioners Wole Ralph and Gail Hambrick quickly left the room after the meeting ended, and Commissioner Sonna Singleton also left not too long afterwards.