Harlem, Grovetown OK millage

Harlem city officials approved a slight millage cut Thursday, while the Grovetown city council voted to keep their tax rate the same.

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Either way, residents of both municipalities will still pay more in property taxes this year than last year because of higher tax assessments and increased debt service millage to pay off the county's $43 million general obligation bond.

Harlem Mayor Scott Dean said the city saw the largest increase in its tax digest in the seven years he has been in city government.

The city council unanimously voted to roll back their millage from 5.42 mills to 5.35 mills, a cut of about $2.80 on a $100,000 home.

"We tried to roll it back as far as we could," Dean said.

Harlem's tax digest increased in value from about $36.5 million to $42.06 million, which will amount to about $30,000 to $35,000 more revenue for the city, Dean said.

He cited the 50 homes built or under construction in the new Cornerstone Creek subdivision and more than 200 planned for that subdivision and others as causes for the increased value of the digest.

Grovetown officials also locked in their tax rate at their Thursday meeting.

David Daughtry, the city's mayor pro tem, said the council unanimously agreed to keep the city's property tax rate at 4.64 mills.

The Grovetown tax digest grew from $132 million in 2006 to the $165 million the city is expected to collect in 2007, city officials said.

The council has said it was opting not to roll back millage out of a concern for costs resulting from new growth.