Multiple Treutlen governing bodies propose adjustments to millage rates

Multiple governing bodies in Treutlen County have announced plans to adjust their individual millage rates following reassessments of property values in the area.

The Treutlen County Tax Assessors conducted a reassessment of local property values as of Jan. 1, 2026, leading to a rise in property values in the area. These reassessments prompted all of Treutlen County’s governing bodies – including Soperton’s city council, county board of commissioners and board of education – to adjust their individual millage rates in response.

Millage rates are rates set by local governing bodies and boards of education representing “a tax liability of one dollar per $1,000 of assessed value” according to the Georgia Department of Revenue. A set millage rate is used in conjunction with 40 percent of a property’s assessed value to calculate the amount of property taxes owed by a resident.

The Soperton City Council proposed a millage rate of 3.080 mils, the same millage rate the city used in 2025. They announced the new millage rate on Oct. 13, and held a public hearing on the issue later in the day.

“We have not raised the millage rate,” said Soperton Mayor John Koon. “The millage rate is staying exactly the same.”

However, due to the reassessments, the selected millage rate will result in a tax increase of 12.41 percent. The increase is also due to the city not engaging in a rollback, as a rollback would lose the city funds it has already accounted for in its budget.

“It would have messed our budget up,” the mayor said. “It would have messed everything up.”

The Treutlen County Board of Commissioners opted to roll back their net millage rate to 11.325 from 13.941 as an offset to the increased property values. The board announced their proposed rate during their regular meeting on Oct. 5.

“We are rolling the millage rate back to offset the increases from the property assessments that came through,” said Board Chair Phil Jennings. “We are able to roll back all the way back to make that up.”

Jennings confirmed the rollback will be a complete rollback as opposed to a partial rollback, as the county has come into “new things” which “have made up for any of the shortfalls in any of the revenue that would have been there previously.” 

The Treutlen County Board of Education has reduced its 2026 millage rate from 13.987 mils to 12 mils. The school board chose 12 mils as its new rate to allow the Treutlen County School System to remain eligible for the state’s Low-Wealth Capital Outlay Program. This program provides grants specifically targeted towards school systems in areas which may otherwise struggle to fund schools through tax revenues.

“This funding can save our local taxpayers significant dollars on major facility projects,” said Dr. Susan Stone, the school system’s superintendent. “A recent example is our HVAC replacement project, for which Treutlen County Schools received approximately $1.2 million in state funding.”

While the new rate is a reduction by 14.21 percent compared to the previous rate, 12 mils will be above the calculated rollback, which is intended to offset the increased property taxes from the reassessments. So, the Treutlen County School System is required by Georgia law to advertise a tax increase and hold three public hearings on the topic.

“It is important to understand that the board is still proposing to lower the actual millage rate,” said Dr. Stone. “The advertised increase is based on the state-required comparison to the rollback rate, which reflects changes in property values due to reassessments. Individual tax bills may vary depending on changes in property assessments and applicable exemptions.”

Each governing body will hold public hearings regarding their respective millage rates prior to their individual adoptions.

The Soperton City Council hosted two additional hearings on Oct. 19 at 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., prior to their monthly work session and regular session. The Treutlen County Board of Education will hold one of its three hearings on Oct. 22, and The Treutlen County Board of Commissioners will hold its hearing on Oct. 26 at 6 p.m.