Franklin County commissioners used an administrative rule Tuesday to raise the county millage rate slightly to make up for a shortfall in expected tax revenue.
The county commission learned this week that the certified final taxable value of property in Franklin County was 2.1 percent lower than the number used during budget negotiations.
That decrease would have led to a shortfall of nearly 190 thousand dollars in taxes collected this year.
County commissioners were very unhappy to hear that the Property Appraiser had lowered the taxable value – but had two options to deal with it and three days to make a decision.
The board could either leave the millage as is and try to make up the lost money from its reserves or raise the millage so that taxpayers make up the loss.
The board decided to raise the millage because the reserve for contingency was cut substantially during this year’s budget negotiations and currently only has about 550 thousand dollars in it.
The commission said the money in reserves will be needed if Franklin County is hit by a hurricane or other unexpected disaster over the next year.
The vote to raise the millage was split on a 3 to 2 vote with commissioners Jackel and Sanders voting against the move.
Commissioner Jackel called the move “just another tax increase” and said the board should not take the action without the public having a say.
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