With the tax digest now in hand, Liberty County school board members are trying to figure out what millage rate to set for the coming year.

The current millage rate for the school system is 14.114, down from 16.358 in 2019. But with the rollback rate — the millage rate needed to bring in the same amount of property tax revenue based upon new assessments so that there isn’t a property tax increase — the school system figures to be short about $2.3 million for its fiscal year 2027 budget.

The school system projects revenues of $94.15 million from the state, $21.51 million from federal sources, such as impact aid, and $37.1 million from local sources, including property tax revenue.

The state, however, reduced its QBE — or Quality Basic Education — funding by nearly $4 million to the Liberty County schools.

At the projected rollback rate of 13.927, the schools will take in about $30.3 million. After the collection fee is paid, the total amount is $29.58 million.

That leaves the school system short of its projected local property tax receipts by nearly $2.3 million.

Keeping the millage rate where it is would in essence by a property tax hike, but it also leaves the school system short of its budgeted revenue, school system chief financial officer Stephanie Clark told board members.

The school system would collect $30.75 million on a millage rate of 14.114 and after the fee for collecting the taxes is taken out, the total is $29.98 million, leaving the school system short by $1.9 million.

To meet the budgeted amount, the millage rate would need to be 15.02, and it still will put the schools short of their budget by about $10,000. At that rate, the schools would bring in $32.7 million in property taxes and net $31.9 million after the collection fee is assessed.

People are not ready for a tax increase,” said board member Carol Guyett. “I’m not ready for a tax increase.”

Verdell Jones, the school board chair, pointed out the board members already approved going into the fund balance for the current fiscal year budget. The current budget calls for $160.7 million in spending, and the system will use about $4.45 million in fund balance.

The county’s tax digest stands at $2.946 billion, but once exemptions are applied, the value is $2.179 billion. Because of exemptions for senior citizens when it comes to school property taxes, the school system’s exemptions are greater, Clark noted.