Commissioners set millage rates in called meeting, learn the history of Temple Beth Israel 

WARNER ROBINS—The Houston County Board of Commissioners set the millage rate for 2024 in a special meeting called shortly after their regular scheduled meeting on Tuesday, August 20.

Chairman Dan Perdue explained how the tax rate in Houston County is structured. He said Houston County is under legislation called a tax cap, which limits the millage rate. 

“If the overall value of our digest grows too quickly, we have to lower the millage rate,” he said. “Along with the legislation that limits our millage rate, we have to determine what are essentially unfunded mandates since the time that legislation was passed, which was back in the 1980s from the State because those unfunded mandates do not fall under the tax cap.” 

Perdue said the Board is not going to roll back to a tax cap; however, they are rolling back to a rollback rate. 

“The rollback rate is defined as the rate at which the pool of existing properties does not generate any more property tax than they did in the previous year,” he said. 

The millage rate for the 2023 tax levy was 9.561, and the rollback millage rate for the 2024 tax levy will be 8.501. 

Perdue also mentioned that Houston County has a special tax district to pay for the Fire Department. That millage rate will remain at 1.177 mills. 

The Board is also tasked with approving the Houston County Board of Education’s millage rate, which was set at 11.719 mills. 

“Apart from any city tax or city property tax that you may pay, in the incorporated areas of Houston County, the millage rate will be 20.220, and in the unincorporated areas, the millage rate will be 21.397,” Perdue said. 

The millage rate was approved unanimously by the Board. 

“I am very pleased to be adopting the rollback rate this year as we communicated to citizens when tax appraisals came out, so it’s a good thing,” Perdue said. 

In the regularly scheduled meeting, Rabbi Elizabeth Bahar of Temple Beth Israel shared the history of Middle Georgia’s Jewish community. 

Temple Beth Israel was founded in 1859, and it is one of the oldest congregations in the state, specifically the oldest outside of Savannah, Bahar said.

“For over 160 years, our congregation has been an integral part of the diverse landscape that makes up Middle Georgia and Houston County,” she said. “Some of my members, whom I know and love very much, live in this community, work here on the base and participate in a variety of ways.” 

Bahar said the temple was started by 11 men who came together in a house on Cherry Street in Macon and said the founders were immigrants from Germany and France. 

“The congregation’s first synagogue was above a candy store and was consecrated in 1860,” she said. “The building in which we call home now was dedicated in 1902 and stands as a testament to the Jewish community’s long-standing presence in Middle Georgia.” 

In recent years, Bahar shared that the temple has been building bridges across faiths and has only grown stronger. She mentioned a few ways the temple has done this, including an annual interfaith Thanksgiving service and summer camp. Temple Beth Israel also had a service of unity and love where Senator Jon Ossoff spoke at Mulberry Street United Methodist Church. 

“This, of course, came out of an unfortunate occurrence of extreme antisemitism when on June 23 a small group from Florida came in front of my congregation and hung a blow up dummy as they put a noose around its neck and hung it from the street corner and shouted hateful rhetoric at me,” she said. “I don’t scare easily, but that night I actually was scared because I didn’t know what their actual intentions were.”  

Bahar said she was very proud of what happened after this incident because of the service of unity and love, and over 900 people came. 

“All of these initiatives reflect our belief that what unites us is far greater than anything which divides us by fostering interfaith dialogue and cooperation,” she said. “We aim to create a more harmonious and resilient community for all Georgians.” 

In the future, Bahar said that she hopes Temple Beth Israel remains committed to its many missions one of which is persevering Jewish traditions and values while engaged in a broader community. 

After Bahar shared her testimony, commissioners thanked her. 

“Thank you for being here and for the lovely invocation,” Commissioner Gail Robinson said. 

“I appreciate you coming tonight and thank you for everything that you are doing to benefit our county,” Commissioner Shane Gotwalls said. 

On to new business: The Board approved two personnel requests at the landfill and also approved the C&D landfill expansion mentioned at the previous meeting. 

“We proposed 44 acres which will give us 50 years of extended life,” Houston County Utility Director Terry Dietch said. “Staff and consultants are confident that we meet all the requirements in consistency with the Solid Waste Management Plan concerning location and site suitability.” 

Chairman Perdue said this expansion process will take about five years to complete. The next Houston County Commissioners meeting will be held on Sept. 3, 9 a.m., at the Houston County Courthouse, 201 Perry Parkway.