The Clarkesville City Council has voted to change how the city calculates taxes. Taxpayers will now pay more on a smaller percentage of their property’s assessed value. While the net effect on taxes is neutral, the move brings Clarkesville in line with how most other municipalities in the state calculate taxes.
To enact the change, the council voted to amend the city charter. Now, instead of paying taxes on 100% of their property’s fair market value at a lower millage rate, owners will pay 40% at a higher millage rate. City Manager Keith Dickerson outlined the amendment during the council’s monthly meeting on June 2.
The change will increase the millage rate from 5.428 to 13.570.
“Clarkesville is one of the few towns in the state that bases [property assessments] at 100% at a lower rate,” said the city’s Mayor Pro Tem Franklin Brown. “With the new method, we’re aligning with the rest of the county and state, and […] the taxes will be exactly the same.”
Dickerson reported that if a Floating Local Option Sales Tax (FLOST) is passed in November for Habersham County, the new millage rate will decrease from 13.570 to 9.185.
The City Council also approved a resolution to declare this year’s estimated rollback millage rate. The move is in response to Georgia House Bills 581 and 91. According to the legislation, if the city government fails to provide an estimated rollback rate 15 days before the annual Notice of Assessment (NOA) postmark, the NOA will state Clarkesville’s millage rate from the previous year.
Cemetery ordinance delayed
In the work session, councilman Don Nix revealed that the planned additional rules amendment regarding the Clarkesville Cemetery was struck from the agenda.
“The reason we didn’t want to put it on the agenda tonight was because they haven’t been passed by the cemetery board. They need to be passed by that before it can be brought to the council,” he said. Nix said he expected the amendment to be presented at the next council meeting.
Additional rules under consideration include prohibiting rubbing and standing on gravestones, planting artificial flowers, and bringing alcohol onto the cemetery property without consent from the HCCP and the City of Clarkesville. Dogs brought onto the property must be leashed, and dog waste must be disposed of properly.
Other items from the work session included discussion on tree replacement on Llewellyn Street and requiring proper documentation for county assessors entering local private properties.
