Decatur City Hall.

By Ellie Ritter, contributor 

At their regular meeting on May 15, 2017, the Decatur City Commission adopted a tentative millage rate of 10.88 mills for the 2017-2018 fiscal year, according to City of Decatur press release.

But the final adopted rate will likely be the same as the current rate of 10.68 mills, a press release from the city says.

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The tax rate, or millage, is set annually by the Decatur City Commission. A tax rate of one mill represents a tax liability of $1 per $1,000 of assessed value. If the millage rates was 10.88 mills, residents would pay $10.88 for every $1,000 of property value.

According to the press release, the money will be used for “general operations, capital improvements and downtown development authority operations.”

The tentative millage rate of 10.88 mills was adopted prior to the city’s receipt of the 2017 property tax digest from DeKalb County. A tax digest is a list of people subject to property taxes. It includes the assessment and the amount the taxpayer owes.

The 2017 property tax digest, which the city received May 19, is 8.4 percent higher than the 2016 tax digest. Close to 50 percent of that increase is due to new property value, not reassessments, the city says.

Based on the 2017 tax digest from DeKalb County, it is anticipated that the final 2017 millage rate, which is scheduled to be adopted on June 19, 2017, will be reduced to 10.68 mills, which is the same as the current millage rate.

The Decatur City Commission will hold three public hearings regarding the millage rate on Monday, June 12, 2017 at 6 p.m., and Monday, June 19, 2017 at 3:30 p.m. and 7:30pm.  The final millage will be set at the Decatur City Commission meeting scheduled for Monday, June 19, 2017.  All meetings are open to the public and held in the City Commission Meeting room, Decatur City Hall, 509 N. McDonough Street.