Cobb County is preparing to hold three public hearings on its proposed property tax increase, but the county argues it isn't actually raising its millage rates.
Georgia law requires local governments to calculate a "rollback" millage rate that would generate the same amount of property tax revenue as the previous year. If a county keeps its existing millage rate instead of adopting the lower rollback rate, the state considers it a tax increase.
State law requires the county to advertise the tax increase and hold public hearings before commissioners can formally adopt the rates.
County commissioners plan to keep the General Fund maintenance and operations millage rate at 8.46 mills, with the fire district remaining at 2.97 mills and the Cumberland Special Services District II staying at 2.45 mills. Those rates are unchanged from last year, but because property values have increased, the General Fund rate is about 4.07% higher than the rollback rate.
County officials say most homeowners who qualify for Cobb's floating homestead exemption won't see an increase in their county maintenance and operations property taxes, provided they haven't made improvements or other changes that increase their home's taxable value. The exemption adjusts a homeowner's taxable value to offset increases caused by reassessments, effectively holding the county M&O tax bill steady when the millage rate doesn't change.
The hearings are scheduled for July 14 at 9 a.m., July 21 at 6:30 p.m. and July 28 at 7 p.m. at the Board of Commissioners meeting room, 100 Cherokee St. in Marietta. Commissioners are expected to vote on the 2026 millage rates following the final hearing on July 28.
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