The Dawson County Board of Commissioners held the first of three required public hearings last week as they intend to leave the current millage rate unchanged.

The current rate of 8.138 mils would increase 2016 property taxes by 4.32 percent over the rollback millage rate.

To proceed with the rate intact, three hearings are required by law to allow concerned citizens to voice their feedback on the matter.

During the first hearing on Aug. 11 at the Dawson County Courthouse, three residents spoke out on the matter.

Resident Charlie Tarver spoke up in opposition of the rollback and thereby the increase in property taxes.

"I am not a tax guy," Tarver said. "I want to pay as little taxes as I can, but there is times to invest and I think that is where we are now.

"I think the inner tube has so many patches on it that it's time to get a new inner tube instead of patching it up."

Two other residents, Hugh Stowers and Weldon Sheriff, both spoke in favor of rolling back the rate.

Stowers emphasized the importance of the commissioners' role.

"You five are the governing authority in Dawson County," Stowers said.

Sheriff also made his statement in favor of the rollback.

"Commissioners, it's my belief, with the infrastructure Dawson County has, including the May property value reassessment appraisals mailed out, the millage rate should be rolled back. I am here opposing a tax increase," Sheriff said.

The Dawson County Board of Commissioners tentatively adopted a millage rate higher than the rollback rate for FY2017.

Before the board can finalize the rate, two more hearings will be held.

The remaining hearings are scheduled for 6 p.m. on Aug. 18 and 4 p.m. on Aug. 25 at the Dawson County Courthouse, 25 Justice Way.

Each year, the Dawson County Board of Tax Assessors is required to review the assessed value for property tax purposes of taxable property in the county.

When the trend of prices on properties that have sold recently within the county show an increase, the board of tax assessors is required by law to look again at the values and adjust, called a reassessment.

When the total digest of taxable property is prepared, Georgia law requires that a rollback millage rate must be calculated that will produce the same total revenue on the current year's digest that last year's millage rate would have produced had no reassessments occurred.