The Long County Board of Commissioners voted to keep the 15.695 tax millage rate unchanged for fiscal year 2018 during a regular meeting held Tuesday. The meeting followed the third and final public hearing on the proposed fiscal year 2018 budget and proposed millage.

“The tax rate, or millage, in each county is set annually by the board of county commissioners, or other governing authority of the taxing jurisdiction, and by the board of education,” according to the Georgia Department of Revenue website at dor.georgia.gov. “A tax rate of one mill represents a tax liability of one dollar per $1,000 of assessed value. The average county and municipal millage rate is 30 mills.”

The state Department of Revenue figures property tax rates with the following formula: “The assessed value (40 percent of the fair market value) of a house that is worth $100,000 is $40,000. In a county where the millage rate is 25 mills, the property tax on that house would be $1,000; $25 for every $1,000 of assessed value or $25 multiplied by 40 is $1,000.”

Property-tax revenue is used to pay for necessary services to county residents, such as public safety and the courts.

In other county business, Long County commissioners failed to adopt a proposed $9.75 million general fund budget for fiscal year 2018. Long County’s fiscal year runs from July 1-June 30.

The county’s budget will be revisited at the BOC’s next meeting at 6 p.m. on Oct. 2 in the Board of Commissioners conference room in the Long County courthouse.

Commissioners did approve an umpire services contract for the county’s recreation department referee. The contract remains unchanged from last year.