Like crocuses in the spring, signs of an economy regaining its health are growing in Rockdale. 

It seems like lately, wherever you turn, there’s construction for new businesses springing up. School enrollment is growing. We celebrate these positive signs.

One such sign is the lowering of the millage rates, or property tax rates. The Rockdale County school board lowered the school portion of the property tax by 0.7 mils, or about 3 percent. While we applaud the school board for heading in the right direction, we hope this is just the first of many and more significant steps. 

The Rockdale County Board of Commissioners look on the surface like they are headed in the right direction. They can technically say they are lowering rates, but it’s by such a small fraction - 0.2 percent – that it’s basically no change. In fact, most homeowners will see a slightly higher bill because the county is reducing the HOST coverage, or the discount they receive made possible by a penny sales tax. The county is choosing to use some of this money for capital projects instead, which is within the law. But to say taxes are being lowered is, at best, techno-speak, and at worst, misleading. It’s playing the old politician’s game – meaning what you say, but not saying what you mean.