COVINGTON, Ga. – The Newton County Board of Education voted Tuesday to adopt an M&O millage rate of 20 mills. While the board’s approved millage has remained constant since FY 2016, property owners in Newton County will see their school taxes increase by 8.03 percent in FY 2019.

Had members elected to adopt the rollback rate, the millage would have fallen to 18.513 mills.

According to a legal notice in the July 14-15 issue of The Covington News, the Board’s move means that taxes for a home with a fair market value of $150,000 will go up approximately $83.27. A non-homestead property with a fair market value of $125,000 will see a tax hike of approximately $74.35.

The M&O tax rate provides funds for the maintenance and operations costs of a school district.

The Board also unanimously approved a contract extension for school superintendent Samantha Fuhrey. The extension takes Fuhrey through the 2020-2021 school year at an annual salary of $171,000. A NCSS spokesperson told The News the salary represents a 3 percent pay raise.

Fuhrey was hired as superintendent in 2013. According to the website open.ga.gov, she earned $165,968.95 in salary and was paid an additional $14,909.11 for travel in 2017.