Columbia County commissioners adopted a millage Wednesday that lessens the taxpayers' burden for county operating expenses but adds to it for fire protection and for retiring debt.

During a called meeting, the commission increased property taxes by 5.15 percent above the rollback millage for fire service and by 19.03 percent above the rollback millage for debt service.

They also reduced the millage for maintenance and operations from 6.857 to 6.652.

As a result, a homeowner in the unincorporated portion of the county with an average assessed home value of $100,000 will pay $1.70 more in property taxes. Homeowners in Harlem and Grovetown who have an average assessed home value of $100,000 will see a 65-cent increase in their property taxes.

The change results from the way the county allocated the millage, Leanne DeLoach, the county finance director, said after the meeting.

The millage for debt services had to be increased to 1.27 mills to meet payments required by a 2007 general obligation bond, county records show.

"We always have to levy enough taxes to meet the debt service payment," Ms. DeLoach said. "That rate pretty much gets adjusted every year just depending on what the debt service rates are."

The county's overall budget increased this year by more than $1.1 million to a total of more than $56.7 million. The budget for fire service went up to nearly $8.5 million, which is almost $1 million more than in 2007.

The increase in the fire service budget covers the cost of a merit increase for firefighters, a rise in health insurance premiums, communication and computer upgrades, training and the cost of 10 added personnel, Columbia County Emergency Services Director Pam Tucker said .

To end what some state lawmakers called a "back door" tax increase, tax-levying agencies must rollback the millage to coincide with the added taxes earned through reassessments unless the agency conducts at least three public hearings and announces its intention to keep the additional funds.

Property tax bills will be mailed Aug. 11, and they will be due Nov. 15.

MILLAGE BREAKDOWN

SERVICE..........2007..........2008

Net maintenance & operations..........6.857..........6.652

Net debt service..........1.10..........1.27

Total countywide ..........7.957..........7.922

Unincorporated fire..........1.68..........1.715

Total unincorporated..........9.637..........9.637

Source: Columbia County Board of Commissioners

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