Property owners in Camden County could soon be paying significantly higher property taxes.
The Camden County Board of Commissioners announced last week that it has tentatively agreed to adopt new millage rates for 2025 that would increase property taxes by more than 18%.
But Commissioners Cody Smith and Jim Goodman released a letter Sunday evening opposing the increase.
The tentative countywide rate would be 14.10 mills, an increase of 2.171 mills or 18.2%.
A “mill” means $1 of tax for every $1,000 of a property’s taxable value.
So that means the owners of a house valued at $300,000, with a homestead exemption or special protections, would have paid $232 in property taxes in 2024.
The 18.2% increase would make that $251.84 moving forward.
The county explained that for a non-homestead property with a fair market value of $175,000, the proposed tax increase is about $151.97.
DOCUMENT: Camden County countywide tax comparison
Camden County resident Christine Remington-Lawrence said the increase might seem comparatively small, but any increase could hurt those who are already struggling.
“The lower socio-economic groups, it’s going to hit them hard. I mean, we have a lot of single parents. A lot of single families, they struggle, and it’s not fair for those families to struggle,” Remington-Lawrence said.
But the county says that to fully fund the 2026 budget adopted by the Board, millage rates need to be increased above the rollback rate.
Georgia law requires counties to calculate a “rollback rate,” which is the rate that would generate the same amount of tax revenue as the previous year if property values remain the same.
Each year, the Camden County Board of Tax Assessors reviews property values, and when recent home sales show that values have increased, state law requires the board to update those values.
This process, called a reassessment, helps ensure property values remain fair and accurate, county officials said.
The county says the increased property taxes will go toward funding the following projects:
- Public Safety Complex, including a new Jail and Sheriff’s Office
- Animal Control Facility
- Joint Development Authority’s (JDA) Request of Additional Funds
- Park Maintenance and Enhancements
But Commissioner Smith said other funding sources should be tapped to pay for those projects, and the price shouldn’t be passed on to residents.
Before the county commissioners can make a final vote on the proposed increase, Georgia law requires three public hearings, so citizens can learn more, ask questions and share their opinions.
The hearings, which are open to all citizens of Camden County, will be in the Commissioners Meeting Room on the 2nd floor of the Government Services Complex at 200 E. 4th Street, in Woodbine.
They are scheduled for:
- 10 a.m. Sept. 30
- 5 p.m. Sept. 30
- 6 p.m. Oct. 7