CAMDEN COUNTY, Ga. – People who live in Camden County could soon get a break on property taxes.
The county is rolling back the millage rate in the area by 4 percent from 13.940 to 13.405. It’s a decrease the county said can make a difference in the long run.
Camden County leaders said increasing property values is one of the reasons why they're able to move forward with lowering the millage rate, which is the percentage homeowners pay on property taxes.
Alfaye Baker grew up in Camden and believes this could be a sign of good things to come.
"It's getting bigger every year. When you started out here and you lived here your whole life, you see the growth. And there's a lot more growth potential in Camden County," Baker said.
Here's how millage rates work:
- For taxes, a property is assessed at 40 percent of its appraised value.
- A homestead exemption would then be subtracted for people who claim Camden County as their home.
If your home is $200,000, for example, with a homestead exemption:
- It is actually assessed at a value of $76,000
- Since 1 mill is a 1 percent tax on every $1,000 of value, a rollback of 0.535 would drop taxes by about $41 on a $200,000 home
Camden County also has a property tax freeze.
In short, even though values are going up, assessments are not. The county said this is why nearly everyone who lives in the county will get a break on taxes.
Baker is excited about what this could mean for the county where she grew up.
"I think overall it's a great place to live and a place to raise kids. That's why I live here," Baker said.
The county said this rollback will not affect county services. The millage rate will take effect the first week of December.