The Rockdale County School Board voted 4-1 this past week to raise the mileage rate 1.51 mills; this follows a 1.99 mill increase in 2010.

The amazing thing about this increase is that the board members who voted to pass it, with a straight face, would have you believe that an increase in tax rate is not really an increase.

Wow, we have never heard this explanation for raising taxes before - that an increase is not really an increase.
If you live in Rockdale County, you will probably not notice this increase because your property value has probably gone down. But you will not receive the full reduced value of that lower assessment because of it.

Paying less property tax is bittersweet because that means your property value has gone down also.
We would have more respect for the school board members if they just said we are just raising your tax rate and not try to double talk us.

Someday when we do reach the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel and our property values rise, so will our tax amounts and then you will see this year's school millage rate increase because it will stick out like a sore thumb.