Why Is Cobb County Advertising a “Notice of Property Tax Increase”?
Why Is Cobb County Advertising a “Notice of Property Tax Increase”?
You may see legal ads headlined “Notice of Property Tax Increase” as Cobb County moves forward with its annual budget and millage rate adoption process.
Despite that headline, the Board of Commissioners is not proposing a millage rate increase for the upcoming fiscal year.
So why the notice?
Under state law, local governments are required to use this specific language in advertisements if the total property tax revenue is expected to increase, even if the millage rate remains unchanged. This year, Cobb County’s General Fund is projected to grow by $18 million, with all funds growing by $49 million out of a $1.3 billion budget.
The primary driver of this increase is a 2.7% rise in the county’s tax digest—the total value of taxable property in Cobb. This represents a smaller increase than in recent years, resulting in fewer property owners experiencing assessment increases this year.
This revenue growth allows the county to address rising costs without raising the tax rate. It supports:
- Increased costs for healthcare, dental, and workers’ compensation
- Funding for previously approved public safety positions
- Step and grade increases for public safety employees
- A cost-of-living adjustment for county staff
- Rising expenses in our Water System operations (chemicals, parts, electricity)
- Critical IT upgrades and other ongoing county needs
Although county departments requested 290 new positions, the proposed budget includes only four new roles in general government.
The “Notice of Property Tax Increase” may sound alarming, but it’s simply the state-required language to reflect a growing economy, not a tax rate hike.