Press Release

The Butts County Board of Commissioners has tentatively proposed a budget for Fiscal Year 2023 in the amount of $26,250,894.00 for countywide operations beginning July 1^st, 2022 and ending June 30^th, 2023. While this year’s proposed budget is 13.55% higher than last year’s budget, it must be taken into account the corresponding increase in revenues, from multiple sources, that contribute towards providing a balanced budget.

The budget addresses several needed improvements including enhancements to public safety salary adjustments to remain competitive within the area job market, increased fire and ambulance protection and public safety technology improvements. It also addresses the increased cost of buying fuel, goods, and services, while simultaneously ensuring that no County service suffers from a diminution of service delivery.

The County will be making these improvements while also rolling back the millage rate. As shown below, the County originally advertised a proposed millage rate of 12.029 mils for the County, a reduction over last year’s rate of 12.959 mils. Most recently, due to receiving final numbers that were better than anticipated, the County is proposing to increase the proposed reduction in the millage rate equal to one full mil reduction, to 11.959 mils.

The new proposed millage rate will be the lowest rate the County government has proposed since 1993, and will be one of only three times in 30 years that the millage rate has been below 12 mils of tax. Ten years ago, the County millage rate was 16.913 mils, so the current proposed millage rate represents nearly a 5-mil decrease, at 4.954 mils less. Property taxes currently fund less than half of the County budget, with the remainder comprised mainly of sales tax, motor vehicle title ad valorem sales tax, user fees, court fines, state funding and other grant funding.

The Board of Commissioners will hold a series of public hearings on the proposed lowered millage rate, beginning on Thursday, June 16^th at 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM, as well as on Thursday, June 23^rd at 8:00 AM in the Judicial Center of the Butts County Administrative Complex, 625 W. Third Street, Jackson, Georgia.

Additionally, a public hearing on the proposed FY2023 County Budget will be held at 5:30 PM on Thursday, June 16^th at the above location. The public hearings are open to the public.

In accordance with the law, Butts County is publishing the following “Notice of Property Tax Increase” shown below. This is required anytime any property owner’s taxes might increase. The Board of Commissioners has also published via the below “Five Year History” their intention at the time of publication to roll the County millage rate back again this year to 12.0290 mills, which represents a 0.93 mil decrease, putting the County millage rate at the lowest level in 30 years. Each individual parcel is unique and depending on assessments, may decrease, remain flat or increase in taxable value.