Flowery Branch tax rate stays the same

FLOWERY BRANCH - The property tax rate in Flowery Branch is staying the same for another year.

After a public hearing in which no citizens signed up to speak, the city council voted 3-2 to approve the 2008-09 tax rate of 2.837 mills.

Council members Allen Bryans Sr., Mary Jones and Pat Zalewski voted in favor of the tax rate; Chris Fetterman and Craig Lutz were opposed.

One mill is equal to $1 for each $1,000 in assessed property value.

At a city council work session Sept. 3, Fetterman suggested lowering the current tax rate of 2.837 mills to 2.637 mills, saying that rolling the rate back in increments through the years might enable the city to keep the rate down.

However, at that meeting City Clerk Melissa McCain said the city wasn't planning to roll back the rate because the city needs the funds to help compensate for extra expenses brought on by the economy, such as the increase in gasoline prices, maintenance and operating costs.