According to the City Council Work Session documents for the July 9th meeting, a City Tax Millage Rate rollback is proposed.
"The rollback millage rate is 3.870 (a decrease of 0.49 mills) from the current millage rate (4.360)".
Property value assessments have increased by 20% in total and this proposed reduction won't typically reduce one's tax bill but prevent the Johns Creek City Taxes from a sharp increase.
By law, the City is required to hold only 1 Public Hearing.
It is scheduled for July 23, 2018, at 7 p.m., during the regular City Council meeting.
Fulton County Board of Commissioners Proposes Property Tax Increase of 7.9 percentage over the rollback millage rate.
All concerned citizens are invited to the public hearings on this tax increase to be held in the Government Center Assembly Hall.
141 Pryor Street, Atlanta, GA 30303 on July 11, 2018, at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. and on August 1, 2018, at 10 a.m.
Sources: City of Johns Creek & Fulton County Board of Commissioners
During the Johns Creek Council Meeting on Monday, July 9, 2018, the City Council agreed to advertise the millage rate for 2108 to be 3.87 which is Georgia State defined “rollback rate”. Please note this legally defined “rollback rate” will result in an increase in cash collections to the City of Johns Creek (as advertised) of approximately $1.2 million, or 6%, from 2017.
When I committed to the residents of Johns Creek to rollback the 2018 millage rate, I meant OVERALL cash taxes paid by residents would not increase this year. The City should not receive any "gains" from the excessive increase in property assessed values. The Georgia State defined “rollback” calculation is at odds with actual cash taxes to be paid.
The Homestead Exemption that will be on the ballot in November 2018 for YOU to vote on, if passed, would limit the increase in Property Assessed Values to the lessor of 3% or the inflation rate. The inflation rate for 2017 was 2.1%. So why is the City Council approving 2018 overall cash property tax estimated increase of 6% for 2018?
Please let me know your thoughts.
Stephanie Endres
City Council Post 5
Thank you Council Member Endres. In lieu of the apparent lack of understanding in what the real costs are for projects that this City Government is pursuing(City Hall estimates are rising as are the Pocket Parks on Morton, State Bridge, and Bell and Boles Road, it is becoming clearer by the day we simply do not know what any of this is going to be costing us( and we thought we were paying City Staff high compensation for their expertise in these very matters).
The rollback rate has two major shortcomings: It implicitly implies that the tax rate set by the Council the previous year was the "appropriate" rate. We are not convinced of that implication.
It also increases the amount of tax revenue collected by property owners in Johns Creek by 6% while appearing to be a "neutral rate". It may be neutral in the eyes of the court, but it not to the property owners.
We encourage EVERY resident to watch the work session from Monday, July 9th, 2018. From the Parks discussions to the Traffic Light discussions, and see if you feel that we have a solid grasp on what is occurring here in Johns Creek. It will not take you long to reach a conclusion.
http://johnscreekga.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=1&clip_id=425