Houston County government proposing tax increase, chairman comments

HOUSTON COUNTY — The Houston County Board of Commissioners announced a tax increase for 2025 for just over 11% over the rollback millage rate, according to a press release.

The county said this year’s rollback millage rate — the rate that provides the same amount of revenue for revaluated property — was 7.6 mills; The budget adopted this year required a higher millage rate. 

Commissioners have proposed to set the millage rate for 8.45. Although this is lower than last years rate of 8.5, it must be advertised as an increase.

Commissioner Chairman Dan Perdue said the county participates in a floating homestead exemption, which may give qualified homeowners relief on the tax bill.

“Thanks to Houston County’s floating homestead exemption, homeowners with a homestead exemption will pay no more on the county’s base millage rate this year than they paid last year. In fact, we’re reducing the county’s millage rate from 8.501 mills to 8.45 mills, which means homeowners with the exemption will actually pay less on the county’s maintenance and operations millage rate.

“This protection comes from House Bill 581, which Georgia voters approved in November 2024 by nearly 63 percent statewide. While many local governments across Georgia chose to opt out, Houston County embraced this new benefit for our residents. The floating homestead exemption caps annual increases in your home’s taxable value to the state’s inflation rate, regardless of how much your property’s market value may rise. For 2025, the law allows no inflationary growth for the first year, meaning your taxable value is frozen at your 2024 base year amount. All current homestead exemption holders automatically receive this protection without needing to reapply,” Perdue said.

Perdue also mentioned enhancements to public safety made possible by the increase.

“The proposed 8.45 mill rate will enable Houston County to strengthen the public safety services that keep our families safe. This rate allows us to add six new Sheriff’s deputies to better serve the people of Houston County,” Perdue said. “We’re not just maintaining our long legacy of excellent public safety—we’re building on it to ensure we have the resources needed to protect our growing community.”

He mentioned the increase’s effects for both the sheriff’s office and fire department.

“Houston County is also proposing to increase the fire millage rate—charged only to unincorporated residences—from 1.177 to 1.677 mills. We held town halls in May and heard directly from residents about the need for faster response times from our fire service,” Perdue said. “This increase will fund nine new firefighters, allowing us to bring our remaining fire stations to 24/7/365 coverage. This enhancement means even faster response times to fires, car crashes, and medical emergencies across the large area we serve. It’s a milestone moment for the Houston County Fire Department and a game-changer that will dramatically improve emergency protection for our residents. For a home valued at $350,000 in unincorporated Houston County, this fire service enhancement represents approximately $70 more in annual taxes—less than $6 per month for round-the-clock emergency protection.”

“Houston County remains the undisputed leader in delivering exceptional value to citizens for their tax dollars,” Chairman Perdue concluded. “We operate efficiently and effectively, and this millage rate will allow us to continue expanding the high-quality services our residents deserve. When emergencies happen, seconds matter—and we’re making sure Houston County is ready.”

Concerned citizens are invited to three public hearings to express their views. The first is Tuesday, Aug. 19, 9 a.m., at the Houston County Annex Building, 200 Carl Vinson Parkway, Warner Robins.

Subsequent public hearings will be held Aug. 19, 6 p.m., at the Annex Building, and Tuesday, Aug. 26, 9 a.m., at the Houston County Courthouse, 201 Perry Parkway, Perry.