Residents in Douglasville, GA, and Douglas County, KS, are facing changes in property taxes—one seeing an increase, the other a reduction offset by rising property values. In Douglasville, the city council passed a property tax increase of almost 17 percent during Thursday night's meeting, as reported by FOX 5 Atlanta. Homeowners with properties assessed at $350,000 will bear an additional $175 annually, roughly translating to an approximate $15 monthly increase. This decision, attributed to the increased costs of Douglas County's fire service, will have a direct financial impact on residents.
In contrast, Douglas County Commissioners have approved a budget for 2025 with a lower property tax rate, yet due to an average increase of 6.89% in property valuations, as The Lawrence Times details, the cut might not lighten the fiscal load for many. While the mill levy dips to 41.298 from 44.209, owners of properties whose values have surged, even by the average rate, would scarcely see any reduction in their taxes.
Brian Farley of the Douglas County Taxpayers Association told The Lawrence Times, "What you’re doing when you make that argument is you’re leaving out the issue of valuation increases. So by providing only half of the picture, you’re essentially gaslighting people into believing that what you’re saying is actually being done for their benefit."
In these discussions, it's important to note that county commissioners unanimously approved a modified budget, including a $750,000 allocation requested by the City of Lawrence to purchase a building for a family shelter. Douglas County is also working to ease the tax burden with a property tax rebate program for individuals 65 and over, as well as disabled veterans, set to begin in January 2025.
