Still no bills: Dublin tax notices delayed again

Dublin residents still are without their property tax bills after city notices were mailed last week without including actual statements.

The notices included a letter from Mayor Joshua Kight, but a second sheet essentially was blank, except for mostly addresses and contact information.

“The second page should have been your city tax bill,” City Manager Josh Powell said in a statement. “Unfortunately, there was an error with the company we use for printing and we are working with them on corrections being sent out as soon as possible.”

This year’s local tax collection process already was about two months behind schedule due to delays in finalizing. The latest delay could be especially costly for the struggling Dublin City Schools, which is counting on tax revenue so it can stop borrowing state funding that it was to receive in the later months of the school year.

With a current $7 million general fund deficit and a projected $13 million shortfall when the fiscal year ends in June, the district has already borrowed four months of its QBE funding. 

Local property taxes technically are not due until 60 days after the notices are mailed. That due date typically falls before Christmas, but now looks to be late February, at best. 

In the meantime, property owners may contact the city’s tax department, either in person at City Hall, at (478) 277-5016 or (478) 277-5019 or at hayest@dublinga.org or fordhamf@dublinga.org to request a copy of their bill.  

“Once you receive a copy of your bill, you may go ahead and pay your taxes if you like,” Powell said. 

Online bills still were unavailable on Monday, but are expected to be in the coming days. Property owner can check www.cityofdublin.org and click on “online payments” at the top of the page, and click on “Tax Payment” from the dropdown menu when they are available.   

The mayor’s letter to property owners points out that the City Council and the Dublin City Board of Education each levy their own taxes, but the city is required by law to also collect taxes for the school board.

Both boards rolled back their millage rates to offset growth in the city’s tax digest, but the school board did not cut its rate enough to avoid a tax increase.

“This year marks eight years in a row of tax cuts for the City of Dublin,” Kight wrote. “For 2025, the Dublin City Council has fully rolled back the City’s millage tax rate to 4.497, down from 5.948 just two years ago. These funds help provide your local police, fire, parks and roads.”

The mayor explained the bill will also show a separate millage rate for the school tax, which the city council has no vote in determining.

“The 18.564 millage school tax was the rate the school board felt necessary to continue its educational mission. … If you have any concerns about the school system’s tax increase, please contact your city school board.”