Posted by Staff Reports | Aug 6, 2026 | Floyd News, Top Local News | 0 | The Rome City Commission held the first of three required public hearings this week on the city’s proposed 2026 property tax increase, with officials emphasizing that while the overall millage rate would remain unchanged, state law still requires the increase to be advertised as a tax increase. City Manager Sammy Rich presented a five-page overview of the proposed 2026 millage rate. Under the proposal, the city’s total millage rate would remain at 26.25 mills, the same rate adopted for 2025. However, the individual components of the rate would change. The City of Rome’s maintenance and operations (M&O) millage would increase from 7.75 mills to 8.25 mills, while the capital millage would rise from 1.75 mills to 2.00 mills. The Rome City Schools millage would decrease from 16.75 mills to 16.00 mills. Rich said that 77 percent of the city’s 5,142 homesteaded properties — 3,959 parcels — experienced a decrease in assessed value for 2026. Overall, the city’s tax digest increased by approximately 1.44 percent, which was below the city’s anticipated growth of about 4 percent. Rich also noted that more than 80 percent of the city’s annual expenditures are devoted to personnel costs. He said any significant budget reductions would require major changes to city services and the size of the municipal workforce. He also highlighted the return of the State of Georgia’s Homestead Tax Relief Grant for 2026. The…
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