VALDOSTA — After increasing property taxes for the last five years, Valdosta City Schools is rolling back its millage rate. A move that should have most homeowners paying about the same property taxes as last year.

The decision to approve the millage rate moving from 16.98 to 16.751 came out of the Valdosta Board of Education meeting Tuesday with unanimous votes from everyone except Tyra Howard, who was absent from the meeting.

Dr. Alvin Hudson, assistant city school superintendent, said the school system can accept the rollback millage rate and still fund its 2020 budget.

“If the rollback rate is approved by the board, our district will still meet its budgetary obligations for the Fiscal Year 2020 school year,” Hudson said. “This will also amount to a 0 percent tax increase for our homeowners on their upcoming property taxes.”

“It’s a way to show good stewardship to the dollars taxpayers have entrusted to this board,” said Stacy Bush, school board vice chairman.

The city schools millage rate has consistently remained at 16.98 since at least 2014, according to school records.

When school boards and city councils keep millage rates the same as the year before, it can typically affect and increase property taxes for homeowners whose homes are assessed at a higher value than the previous year.

Hudson said the city school system feels great about where it’s headed financially, particularly with SPLOST collections being high.

Hudson said the system collected more than $9.5 million for the 2018-19 school year, averaging at about $799,000 a month, from the special purpose local option sales tax.

“Hopefully we will continue on that path because our SPLOST collections have been great,” Hudson said. “I just want to thank the community and those that travel into Valdosta.”

However, Valdosta City Schools has a big payment of more than $8 million due February 2020 as part of the repayment for the new Valdosta High School.

The board went into executive session Tuesday for 40 minutes. The next Valdosta Board of Education meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m., Sept. 10, at the central office, 1204 Williams St.

Katelyn Umholtz is a reporter with the Valdosta Daily Times. She can be contacted at (229)244-3400 ext. 1256.