RINCON, Ga. — Rincon could soon send homeowners something they haven’t received from the city in nearly 30 years: a property tax bill. City Council is considering a 2.323-mill property tax rate that would replace the $240 annual fee property owners now pay through their water bills. The change would give Rincon a more predictable source of revenue as the city grows. It also could allow the city to take part in a new property tax relief program if voters approve it in November. The council held its first required public hearing Tuesday on the proposed millage rate, beginning the process of ending Rincon’s zero municipal property tax rate, which has been in place since 1998. Mayor Kevin Exley said the city’s current system made sense when Rincon was much smaller. It makes less sense now. Rincon had about 3,057 residents in 1998. Today, the city has about 13,000. That growth has brought more demand for police, fire protection, roads, parks and other city services. Rincon also serves as an urban center for the county, with an estimated 35,000 to 40,000 people passing through the city each day. The proposed property tax would replace the $240 fee, not add another source of revenue on top of it. “We’re going to get the millage set to match that fee,” Exley said. But how much individual property owners pay would change. Under the current system, every property owner pays the same $240 annual fee, regardless of the property's value. Under the proposed system, the tax would be based…
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