The Milton City Council approved the lowest millage rate in the city’s nearly 20-year history during its Monday meeting.
The new maintenance and operating rate is set at 4.193 mills, 4.47% lower than last year’s, the city said Tuesday.
The city said the rate is significantly lower than any previously adopted by the city council. The rate has typically been at 4.731 mills.
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“I think we provide exceptional service,” said Milton Mayor Peyton Jamison. “And I think our tax dollars go further here than anywhere else.”
The city expects to generate more than $17.7 million from the newly adopted millage rate. For a property with a $900,000 fair market value and a $15,000 floating homestead exemption, the city said the cost of property taxes for all city services will be about $3.96 per day, with the largest portion allocated to public safety.
The council also approved a 0.310 Greenspace Bond Millage Rate to cover principal and interest for a voter-approved $25 million bond aimed at preserving properties as greenspace.
Deputy City Manager Bernadette Harvill presented a comparison of Milton’s millage rate with nearby cities and explained how tax dollars are used. Her presentation is available online for residents interested in calculating their municipal tax bill.
Principal Planner Shubha Jangam discussed the city’s impact fee program, which funds infrastructure improvements through fees collected from new developments. The city says it has consistently updated its Capital Improvement Element annually since 2015, with the next update scheduled for approval later this year.
A public hearing on Milton’s CIE annual update will occur at the City Council’s Aug, 18 meeting. Officials are set to vote then on transmitting this document to the State of Georgia’s Department of Community Affairs for review. After approval, the City Council must adopt the final version by the end of October.
The Fiscal Year 2026 draft budget was also presented, projecting a 3% increase in overall revenues compared to the current fiscal year. Detailed department-by-department expenditure proposals were reviewed, with total expenditures slightly below those of the amended Fiscal Year 2025 budget.
This was the third such presentation on this topic ahead of a public hearing at the Sept. 3 City Council meeting, possible workshop on Sept. 8, and final public hearing with an expected vote on Sept. 15.
For information about city property taxes and exemptions, visit the city’s exemptions page. Find out more about city meetings here.
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