CLEVELAND, Ga.- The Cleveland City Council held the first of three public hearings to discuss the millage rate for the coming year.

City Administrator Kevin Harris presented the millage rate presentation to the council and community members that were present. The millage rate for 2021 is 5.918 and the proposed millage rate for 2022 is 5.472.

This is not a full rollback of the millage rate. The board of education and county voted to accept their full rollbacks. To review the board of education’s please visit https://white.fetchyournews.com/2022/07/29/school-resource-officers-agreement-amended/.

Under the 5.472 millage rate the taxes levied would be $629,772. This would be an 8.99% net tax increase. Only two people from the community spoke at this hearing.

Mrs. Boling while speaking to the council.

Mr. and Mrs. Boling both voiced their concerns about the city not taking a full rollback rate. Mrs. Boling has emailed all the council members and had a phone call with Senator Steve Gooch. The Bolings plan to be at all the hearings on the millage rate.

“It breaks my heart that no one else was here to speak,” stated Mrs. Boling after the meeting.

To review the tax digest visit https://cms6.revize.com/revize/clevelandga/Current%202022%20Tax%20Digest%20and%205%20Year%20History%20of%20Levy.pdf. The proposed increase to a home marketed for $150,000 is $24.963.

There will be two more hearings on Aug. 23 and the vote will take place after the last hearing. The first hearing on the Aug. 23 is at 9:00 a.m. and the last one will begin at 6:30 p.m.