Cherokee Commission Plans To Raise Taxes

Staff Report

The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners is proposing a millage rate for 2014 that would require an increase in property taxes.

All residents are invited to the three public hearing the commission will hold next month at the Cherokee County Administration Building in Canton.

The meetings will be at 6 p.m. July 1, 6 p.m. July 15 and 6 p.m. July 24. 

The full rate is currently being advertised as 9.904. While that's less than the 2013 millage rate, it's not a full rollback. 

Broken down, the general fund rate is proposed at 5.730; the fire fund at 3.355 and the parks bond at .819. 

The increase would fund a 2 percent cost-of-living adjustment for county employees as well as address salary adjustments to "facilitate employee recruitment and retention," said County Commission District 1 member Harry Johnston. 

Johnston said the county is not "married" to the rate it's advertising.

"We still have not given up on a full rollback," he said, adding it would be difficult to implement a full rollback and not give the 2 percent adjustments and competitive salary initiatives for public safety employees.

The proposed increase on a home worth $175,000 would mean a $21 jump in a homeowner's property tax bill. The increase for a non-homestead property with a fair market value of $175,000 is $22.61.