Jenkins County property owners can expect to see an increase in their school taxes this year. The Jenkins County Board of Education (BOE) adopted a millage rate of 12.9 mils during an Aug. 4 called meeting of the group. The previous year's rate was 9.5 mils.

The 3.4 additional mils translate into a 28.91 percent increase in the dollar amount of school taxes levied and a 35.79 percent increase in the school millage rate.

The proposed rate is expected to generate $2,774,924 in local revenue for fiscal year 2008- 2009. This is approximately $622,861 more than the previous year's local revenue of $2,152,063.

During discussions of the matter, attention was called to the fact that the school's tax digest declined by $11.3 million which means that a mil will not generate as much revenue this year as it did last year. Currently, one mil generates approximately $215,060 in revenue, said Don Rich, Jenkins County Tax Assessor.

It was also noted that a large portion of the decrease in the tax digest was due to an increase in exemptions allowed by the state. Exemptions were up approximately $8.6 million over the previous year.

School officials estimated that the school system will have approximately $86,000 in reserve funds by the end of the 2008- 2009 fiscal year with the total proposed budget for the year being $12,117,267.

As required by law, the BOE must hold three public hearings on the proposed tax increase before officially adopting its budget. The meetings were set for the following dates: Thursday, Aug. 21, at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. and Thursday, Aug. 28, at 11 a.m.

In other matters, the BOE approved the employment of: Tony Baulos, Jenkins County Elementary School (JCES) teacher; David Lee Brooks, Jenkins County High School teacher; Deanna Burke and Ernestine Sanders, JCES paraprofessionals; and accepted the resignation of Diana Browning, JCES teacher.