The Thomaston-Upson School Board of Education today announces its intentions to increase the 2025 property taxes it will levy this year by 3.57 percent over the rollback millage rate.
Each year, the Board of Tax Assessors is required to review the assessed value for property tax purposes of taxable property in the county. When the trend of prices on properties that have recently sold in the county indicate there has been an increase in the fair market value of any specific property, the Board of Tax Assessors is required by law to re-determine the value of such property and adjust the assessment. This is called a reassessment.
The proposed tax millage increase is necessary to address several critical needs within our school district. Recent cuts to federal programs have significantly reduced the funding available to support essential educational services, placing a greater burden on local resources. Additionally, the rising cost of health insurance for classified staff and staff not providing direct instruction or services has added to the financial strain. Maintaining a safe and secure learning environment remains a top priority, and doing so requires continued investment in personnel, training, and infrastructure. It is also essential that we maintain the momentum of our district’s academic growth and ensure all students have the support needed to succeed. Furthermore, to continue attracting and retaining high-quality educators and support staff, we must offer competitive salaries that reflect the value and importance of their work.
When the total digest of taxable property is prepared, Georgia law requires a rollback millage rate be computed that will produce the same total revenue on the current year’s digest that last year’s millage rate would have produced had no reassessment occurred.
The budget adopted by the Thomaston-Upson School Board of Education requires a millage rate higher than the rollback millage rate; therefore, before the Thomaston-Upson County Board of Education sets a final millage rate, Georgia law requires three public hearings to be held to allow the public an opportunity to express their opinions on the increase.
All concerned citizens are invited to the public hearings on this tax increase to be held at the Board of Education Office, 205 Civic Center Dr., Thomaston, GA on Tuesday, August 12, 2025 at 7:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. and on Tuesday, August 19, 2025 at 6:00 p.m.