Cornelia commission votes to keep millage rate at 9.5 mills for 2025

In June 2025 the Cornelia City Commission voted 4-0 to set the estimated millage rollback rate for 2025 at 9.5 mills, a step required under HB 581.

At the first of three public hearings in September, the commission considered keeping the millage rate at 9.5 mills. Staff noted the calculated rollback rate was actually 8.614 mills, meaning holding the rate at 9.5 would count as a tax increase, against a net tax digest of $339,023,847.

In October the commission held a public hearing and voted 4-0 to keep the 2025 millage rate at 9.5 mills. The rate sits above the 8.614-mill rollback rate, producing a $37,980,587 increase in the digest and a $300,000 revenue increase, a 10.29% rise.

The city's approved 2026 budget, adopted the same day, maintains the 9.5 millage rate with no increase to sanitation fees, and sets a 2.5% cost-of-living raise for employees with merit raises of up to an additional 2.5%.