Accounting and Finance
Property Tax Information
NOTICE |
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The Wilcox County Board of Education does hereby announce that the millage rate will be set at a meeting to be held at the Board of Education Office 114 7th Avenue, Rochelle, GA 31079 on October 3, 2024 at 4:00 p.m. and pursuant to the requirements of O.C.G.A. § 48-5-32 does hereby publish the following presentation of the current year's tax digest and levy, along with the history of the tax digest and levy for the past five years. Explanation of Proposed Tax Change |
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CURRENT 2024 PROPERTY TAX DIGEST AND 5 YEAR HISTORY OF LEVY |
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| BOARD OF EDUCATION |
2019
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2020
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2021
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2022
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2023
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2024
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VALUE |
Real & Personal |
181,743,870
|
183,202,578
|
248,755,109
|
253,006,444
|
260,518,170
|
277,677,089
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| Motor Vehicles |
3,924,600
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3,187,860
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3,061,060
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2,927,720
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3,003,480
|
2,894,080
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| Mobile Homes |
1,714,476
|
1,764,996
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1,828,749
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2,035,235
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2,383,371
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2,289,430
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| Timber - 100% |
2,569,936
|
1,134,503
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6,426,265
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9,928,604
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10,358,255
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7,585,793
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| Heavy Duty Equipment |
0
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0
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0
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0
|
0
|
0
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| Gross Digest |
189,952,882
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189,289,937
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260,071,183
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267,898,003
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276,263,276
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290,446,392
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| Less Exemptions |
30,072,214
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28,116,882
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62,610,327
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62,400,480
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64,817,259
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57,984,878
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| NET DIGEST VALUE |
159,880,668
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161,173,055
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197,460,856
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205,497,523
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211,446,017
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232,461,514
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| RATE | MILLAGE RATE (Maintenance & Operation) | 15.095 | 15.095 | 14.250 | 14.250 | 14.062 | 14.000 | |
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TAX |
TOTAL M&O TAXES LEVIED | $2,413,399 | $2,432,907 | $2,813,817 | $2,928,340 | $2,973,354 | $3,254,461 | |
| Net Tax $ Increase | $10,671 | $19,509 | $380,910 | $114,523 | $45,014 | $281,107 | ||
| Net Tax % Increase | 0.44% | 0.81% | 15.66% | 4.07% | 1.54% | 9.45% | ||
PRESS RELEASE EXPLAINING THE PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX INCREASE
Each year, the Tax Assessor’s Office is required to review the assessed value for property tax purposes of taxable property in the county. When the trend of prices on properties that have recently sold in the county indicate there has been an increase in the fair market value of any specific property, the Tax Assessor is required by law to re-determine the value of such property and adjust the assessment. This is called a reassessment. Wilcox County Tax Assessor’s Office recently completed a reassessment of property and the new assessed values have gone into effect.
When the total digest of taxable property is prepared, Georgia law requires that a rollback millage rate must be computed that will produce the same total revenue on the current year’s digest that last year’s millage rate would have produced had no reassessments occurred. When calculated, our school system rollback millage rate was 13.121 mills. If the school system simply adopted the rollback rate, we stand to lose over 1.5 million dollars in equalization funding. Currently, Wilcox County Schools are in the bottom third of equalized wealth in the state. As a result, our school system annually qualifies for Equalization Grant funding and will receive approximately $1.58 million this school year from this grant. Georgia Law (O.C.G.A. 20-2-165(9)(c) requires a minimum millage rate of 14 mills for school systems to receive the grant. This would be equal to 6.83 mills of tax loss if the $1.58 million equalization grant were loss.
Our current millage rate is 14.062 mills. The Wilcox County Board of Education plans to roll back the millage rate to the lowest limit allowed to 14.00 mills. The total of increased local taxes is projected to bring in about $204,000 additional dollars above our rollback rate which would not come close to replacing the $1.58 million that we earn from our equalization grant.
Georgia law requires three public hearings to be held to allow the public to express opinion regarding the proposal. All concerned citizens are invited to attend the three public hearings on this tax increase to be held at the Wilcox County Board of Education Office 114 7th Ave. Rochelle, Ga. 31079 on Sept. 25, 2024 at 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. and on Oct 3 at 4:00p.m.
O.C.G.A. 20-2-165 MINIMUM MILLAGE RATE TO QUALIFY FOR EQUALIZATION |
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(9)(c) Requires a Minimum Millage Rate to Qualify for Equalization: (9) "Qualified local school system" is defined as any local school system: (A) Having an assessed valuation per weighted full-time equivalent count for the year of the digest which is below the guaranteed valuation; (B) Having an effective millage rate greater than the millage rate applied to calculate the local five mill share pursuant to subsection (a) of Code Section 20-2- 164; and (C) Beginning July 1, 2015, having a millage rate or an equivalent millage of at least 12 mills; beginning July 1, 2016, having a millage rate or an equivalent millage of at least 12 1/2 mills; beginning July 1, 2017, having a millage rate or an equivalent millage of at least 13 mills; beginning July 1, 2018, having a millage rate or an equivalent millage of at least 13 1/2 mills; beginning July 1, 2019, and thereafter, having a millage rate or an equivalent millage of at least 14 mills. |
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| Historical Equalization Funding | |||||
| FY16 | $ 654,500.00 |
This chart shows the historical financial impact of Educational Equalization. FY25, it is 15.6% of the total QBE allotment |
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| FY17 | $ 790,135.00 | ||||
| FY18 | $ 723,816.00 | ||||
| FY19 | $ 878,777.00 | ||||
| FY20 | $ 836,743.00 | ||||
| FY21 | $ 1,058,633.00 | ||||
| FY22 | $ 1,457,091.00 | ||||
| FY23 | $ 1,502,541.00 | ||||
| FY24 | $ 1,339,180.00 | ||||
| FY25 | $ 1,588,933.00 | ||||
| Total | $ 10,830,349.00 | ||||
| School Tax Comparison for $100,000 home | |||||
| 40% Assessed Value | Millage Rate | Total Tax | Decrease |
This chart compares the tax impact on a residential home on the current millage rate, the millage rate at the equalization minimum, and the assessor's proposed rollback millage rate. |
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| $ 40,000.00 | 14.062 | $ 562.48 | |||
| $ 40,000.00 | 14.000 | $ 560.00 | $ 2.48 | ||
| $ 40,000.00 | 13.121 | $ 524.84 | $ 37.64 | ||
| Value per mill of tax | |||||
| 2024 Tax levy | $ 3,268,409.00 |
This chart is reflecting the value of a mill of tax. For FY25, the amount received in equalization is worth 6.836 mills of local tax. |
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| Current Millage Rate | 14.062 | ||||
| Value per mill | $ 232,428.46 | ||||
| 10 Year Millage Rate History | |||||
| 2014 | 15.110 |
The millage rate has decreased by 1.11 mills since 2014. |
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| 2015 | 15.110 | ||||
| 2016 | 15.110 | ||||
| 2017 | 15.110 | ||||
| 2018 | 15.098 | ||||
| 2019 | 15.095 | ||||
| 2020 | 15.095 | ||||
| 2021 | 14.250 | ||||
| 2022 | 14.250 | ||||
| 2023 | 14.062 | ||||
| 2024 | 14.000 | ||||
FY 25 Budget information
| In accordance with State Board Rule 160-5-2-.23, the Wilcox County Board of Education presents the budget approved on June 11, 2024. | |||||
| Wilcox County Board of Education | |||||
| FY25 Approved Budget | |||||
| Statement of Revenues, Expenditures and Changes in Fund Balances | |||||
| For the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2025 | |||||
| General Fund | SPLOST/ Debt Service Fund | Capital Projects Fund | Other Govern- mental Funds | Total All Funds | |
| Beginning Fund Balance | 8,255,255 | 2,207,902 | 15,000 | 375,000 | 10,853,157 |
| Taxes | 2,911,371 | 660,000 | 3,571,371 | ||
| State | 10,318,179 | 356,196 | 10,674,375 | ||
| Transfers from General | 2,300,000 | ||||
| Other | 245,000 | 2,620,652 | 2,865,652 | ||
| Total Receipts | 13,474,550 | 660,000 | 2,300,000 | 2,976,848 | 19,411,398 |
| Payments | |||||
| Instruction | 8,451,573 | 1,379,869 | 9,831,442 | ||
| Pupil Services | 661,078 | 144,633 | 805,711 | ||
| Improvement of Instr. Services | 386,762 | 105,559 | 492,321 | ||
| Educational Media Services | 130,484 | 0 | 130,484 | ||
| General Administration | 411,398 | 158,907 | 570,305 | ||
| School Administration | 1,109,854 | 14,137 | 1,123,991 | ||
| Support Services - Business | 234,673 | 0 | 234,673 | ||
| Maintenance and Operation | 1,377,159 | 6,925 | 1,384,084 | ||
| Student Transportation | 1,035,749 | 33,959 | 1,069,708 | ||
| Other Support Services | 195,802 | 1,132,860 | 1,328,662 | ||
| Facilities Acquisition and Const. | 1,000,000 | 2,300,000 | 3,300,000 | ||
| Transfers to Capital Projects | 2,300,000 | ||||
| Debt Service | 277,912 | 277,912 | |||
| Total Payments | 16,294,532 | 1,277,912 | 2,300,000 | 2,976,848 | 22,849,292 |
| Change in Fund Balance | (2,819,982) | (617,912) | 0 | (0) | (3,437,895) |
| Ending Fund Balance | 5,435,273 | 1,589,990 | 15,000 | 375,000 | 7,415,263 |
Budgets Archive
2024
Fiscal year ending June 30, 2024
In accordance with State Board Rule 160-5-2-.23, the Wilcox County Board of Education presents the budget approved on June 13, 2023.
Wilcox County Board of Education - FY24 Approved Budget
Statement of Revenues, Expenditures and Changes in Fund Balances
For the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2024
| General Fund | SPLOST / Debt Service Fund |
Capital Projects Fund |
ESSER II ARP Funds |
Other Gov. Funds |
Total All Funds | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beginning Fund Balance | 6,614,014 | 1,677,411 | 1,500,000 | 0 | 375,000 | 10,166,425 |
| Taxes | 2,813,817 | 480,000 | 3,293,817 | |||
| State | 9,456,068 | 356,174 | 9,812,242 | |||
| Other | 45,000 | 2,730,218 | 2,906,868 | 5,682,086 | ||
| Total Receipts | 12,314,885 | 480,000 | 0 | 2,730,218 | 3,263,042 | 18,788,145 |
| Payments | ||||||
| Instruction | 7,504,084 | 227,482 | 1,616,314 | 9,347,880 | ||
| Pupil Services | 423,198 | 126,202 | 154,609 | 704,009 | ||
| Improvement of Instructional Services |
276,807 |
32,350 |
111,561 | 420,718 | ||
| Educational Media Services | 128,960 | 0 | 128,960 | |||
| General Administration | 413,542 | 153,925 | 567,467 | |||
| School Administration | 1,046,501 | 14,065 | 1,060,566 | |||
| Support Services - Business | 220,887 | 1,075 | 0 | 221,962 | ||
| Maintenance and Operation | 1,292,865 | 40,741 | 0 | 1,333,606 | ||
| Student Transportation | 876,955 | 2,397 | 80,967 | 960,319 | ||
| Other Support Services | 94,387 | 1,047 | 1,142,406 | 1,237,840 | ||
| Facilities Acquisition and Construction | 1,500,000 | 2,300,000 | 3,800,000 | |||
| Debt Service | 278,088 | 278,088 | ||||
| Total Payments | 12,278,186 | 279,136 | 1,500,000 | 2,730,218 | 3,273,847 | 20,061,414 |
| Change in Fund Balance | 36,699 | 200,838 | (1,500,000) | (0) | (10,805) | (1,273,269) |
| Ending Fund Balance | 6,650,713 | 1,878,249 | 0 | (0) | 364,195 | 8,893,156 |
FY 2024 Budget : Approved on June 13, 2023.
