Preliminary millage rates set for city taxpayers

City commissioners voted July 17 to avoid raising the citywide operating-budget tax rate, and to cut the rate for citywide debt service.

This leaves the operating millage at 3.1728 per $1,000 of taxable property value. At budget workshops a month ago, commissioners discussed raising the rate for the first time since fiscal year 2014, but ultimately chose not to. For a house valued at $200,000, that would have represented a $15 hike in taxes.

The millage rate on debt service was set at 0.2745 per $1,000 of taxable property value. In the 2017-18 fiscal year, the city's debt service is $4.6 million, down 42% from the previous year.

Commissioners can assign lower millage rates at the final public hearings in September, but not higher.

The following preliminary tax rates were also set:

• St. Armands Business Improvement District Operating Millage — 2.000 mills
• Golden Gate Point Streetscape Special District Operating Millage — .4244 mills (decrease of .0752)
• Golden Gate Point Streetscape Special District Debt Service Millage — .9901 mills (increase of .0389)
• Downtown Improvement District Operating Millage — 2.0000 mills