’Tis the season for budgets and millage rates with public input at a minimum for both Jones County and the Jones County Board of Education.
Jones County Commissioners held public hearings for the millage rate and work sessions for the budget with only a few interested parties bothering to come to the meetings and ask questions.
Commissioners set the county’s tax rate at a Sept. 10 called meeting, and the Board of Education set theirs Sept. 11. Both entities rolled back the tax rates with the county’s rate reportedly the lowest since 2004.
The City of Gray has announced the intention to set its millage rate at the Oct. 5 meeting. According to the advertisement of the rate, the city will not roll back its tax rate, which will remain at 8.436.
With the mill rate remaining the same, the city’s increase percentage for 2026 will be 8.17 percent and will receive an increase of $113,420.29 in tax collections.
A rollback of the tax rate for the county and board of education does not mean a reduction in taxes for property owners. While the tax rate definitely plays a part in property tax bills, the assessed value of the property will be the biggest determining factor this year.
County tax bills are mailed to property owners in October.
Jones County had a countywide revaluation, and the resulting assessment notices were mailed to property owners in June.
Commissioners agreed to roll back the tax rate by .878 mills in the unincorporated area and 1.042 for the incorporated area, which is the City of Gray, to come up with a percentage tax increase of zero.
With the increase of the value of the tax digest, the county will see a combined 1.71 percent increase in collections, which amounts to $236,067.
Commissioners set the 2026 millage rate at 12.085 for the incorporated area and 13.177 for the incorporated area.
The Board of Education rolled its tax rate back just short of a mill at 0.987. The 2026 rate is 13.379 with a 1.69 percent increase, resulting in additional funds of $250,999.
Jones County Commissioners also adopted their FY27 budget at their Sept. 10 meeting. As discussed at a previous meeting, commissioners agreed to use reserves to balance the budget in order to roll back the millage rate.
County Administrator Jason Rizner explained that board members agreed to use $1.5 million in reserves with $540,254 approved for capital projects, $618,656 needed to balance the budget as required by state law, and the remaining $341,090 allocated for roads.
Board of Education members approved and adopted their budget in June.
