subject in Lavonia
Taxes and fees
7 related issues are currently assembled for this area.
Issues
Reporting problems delay Franklin County’s 2026 assessment notices and tax digestapprovedFranklin County’s HB 581 Path Is Still Unclear After Commissioners Planned Opt-In Voteunder considerationFranklin County vehicle-tax appeals remain unresolved in public recordawaiting decisionFranklin County pulls TSPLOST ballot item before commissioners act on iton ballotFranklin County approves steep Convenience Center fee hikes for double-axle trailersapprovedFranklin County approves AutoZone tax settlement, leaving local shares to 2026 ratesapprovedFranklin County Sets 8.352-Mill Levy, Edging Above Staff’s Rollback Estimateapproved
Meaningful Changes
1–8 of 30
On August 20, the Board of Commissioners approved 4-0 a resolution levying an 8.352-mill tax on property in Franklin County for general county purposes. The resolution also stated that the Board of Education had recommended and established a separate 14.760-mill education levy.Historical recordOn August 3, 2026, the Franklin County Board of Commissioners approved ratification of a settlement in AutoZone litigation. The agreement provides a $50,000 tax credit for tax year 2026 after AutoZone paid $513,008.97 in additional 2025 ad valorem taxes because the Freeport exemption was not applied. The credit will be allocated among taxing authorities—27.44% to Franklin County, 26.61% to Lavonia, and 45.95% to the Board of Education—with final dollar amounts based on 2026 millage rates.Historical recordOn August 3, commissioners approved 5-0 increases to the resident double-axle trailer fee from $65 to $150 and the nonresident double-axle trailer fee from $120 to $300. They also approved $65 resident and $130 nonresident fees for single-axle box trucks.Historical recordAt a July 28 work session, staff recommended raising Convenience Center fees for double-axle trailers used by private businesses.Historical recordAt the July 28 work session, staff recommended an estimated 8.350-mill FY2027 rollback rate, down 0.014 mills from the current 8.364 mills. Staff said Franklin County’s 40% inflationary growth equaled $2,242,730 in digest growth and $18,726.80 in added property-tax revenue, and planned rollback advertising for August 6.Historical recordStaff proposed a 6:30 p.m. special called meeting on August 20, after a two-week notice period, for the Commissioners to consider adopting the FY2027 millage rate following the Board of Education’s vote.Historical recordAt the July 28 work session, staff said the Board of Commissioners needed to wait for the Board of Education’s scheduled August 20 millage-rate vote before taking county action.Historical recordAt a May 29, 2026 special called meeting, Rick Cothran told the Board of Assessors that continuing problems with the Digest Consolidation and Inflationary Growth Report would delay the 2026 notices of assessment and tax digest. The board also approved the remaining 2026 meeting schedule through December and said it would ask Cothran to remain until a date to be determined in August.Historical record
Research