Conyers city council approved holding this year's millage rate, or property tax rate, the same as last year - 9.41 mills. Because of lowered property values, most Conyers home owners will likely be charged less for the city portion of their tax bill. 

"We held the line. We could have gone up to 10.2, based on the rollback of the tax rolls," said Mayor Randy Mills. City staff had proposed slightly raising the rate to maintain the city's financial reserves.

"The council, philosophically speaking, anytime we can leave the dollar in the property owner's hand... that can help jump start the economy," said Mills. "That was a debate we had, and it was a lengthy debate, but we had unanimous consent to keep it down."

Mills pointed out this is the second year Conyers had maintained the rate. "There are a few cities, not a lot, that have held the line."