DALTON, Ga. (WDEF)- Could Whitfield County property taxes soon go up?
A capacity crowd showed up to a hearing Friday to voice their displeasure with the proposal.
It could increase by as much as 23 percent with an advertised property tax rate of 5.25 mills had residents concerned about how much their taxes could go up.
However, some Whitfield County Commissioners say, that is not likely.
Residents like Theresa Clugg said, “I understand that your expenses are going up. All of our expenses are going up too. The difference is you come to us for more money, we have no one to go to for more money.”
Another resident, Bernice Dalton, said, “My house payment increased $200 dollars because my taxes went up so much and my escrow was short. I’m struggling.”
Eric Dowing, another resident, said, “My property went from in 2023 to 2025, the property tax went up 98 percent. 98 percent!”
According to calculations on a $250,000 homestead, excluding schools, a 5.25 millage rate would result in about a $72 dollar annual rate increase from the flat 4.35 rate.
However, Commission Chairman Jevin Jensen says he does not believe that the high end rate will get passed, as the county is still working through last year’s tax digest that got reassessed,
Jensen said, “We’re not proposing or trying to do a 23 percent increase. That’s what we were required to publish as a worst case scenario. We’re trying to reassure the citizens that number one, it’s just a strange situation, where we’re actually mailing property tax rebates this month to about 10,000 property owners and citizens. So that, compounded with this rate, forced us to publish this. But in no way do we expect an individual homeowner, especially someone with a homestead to see an increase like that.”
He says he expects the rate to be closer to the flat rate than the high end rate.
Jensen said, “I’m on the record as saying I am against the 5.25 rate, so I’ll be voting against that if it comes up. Our initial estimate was 5, but we think we can get below that and we’re going to get as close to 4.35 as possible.”
Citizens are hoping that is the case, as one said, “My challenge to you is to bring the tax rate lower.”
There will be two more public hearings on the property tax rate next Friday, with a vote occurring following the evening session at 6 p.m.
The second session will be at noon.
