Final Public Hearing Tonight on Franklin County Millage Increase

Franklin County citizens will have one last chance tonight to voice their opinions, concerns or ask questions about the County’s plan to raise the millage.

The third of three required public hearings takes place at 5:30p this evening at the Justice Center in Carnesville.

Two public hearings took place last week, but only a handful of citizens turned out.

The County’s new fiscal year began on July 1, but according to County Manager Beth Thomas, if the millage is not raised, the new fiscal budget will fall short to the tune of about $1.3 million.

At their work session last month, Thomas changed her original proposal of a weighted millage.

Thomas had initially recommended people living in the county have their property taxes raised some 2.99 mills and those in municipalities would have theirs raised 1.97 mills.

But Thomas said that after some push back by citizens, she changed that to one across-the-board increase of 2.67 mills for every property owner in the county.

“The millage increase for each district will be the same. It was tentatively set at 2.67. Of course, it is not my decision,” Thomas said. “I proposed it one way, and I agree that in the end it could be generated either through a weighted millage rate increase or by a standard across the board increase. After listening to public comment, I believe the Board of Commissioners wanted to go for a more equitable increase.”

The millage increase works out to about an extra $10 a month in property tax on a $100,000 home.

After tonight’s public hearing, the board will hold their usual work session and will then vote to raise the millage at that time.