Rome City Commission Approves Slight Decrease To MIllage Rate

The Rome City Commission approved a decrease in the millage rate for Rome residents. However, that will mean a slight increase in their taxes because of higher property tax valuations.

The 2024 cut is a reduction of 0.2 mills. That equates to a combined rate of 26.25 mills compared to 26.45 mills in 2023. Most property owners are expected to still see a slight increase on their tax bills because assessments overall have risen approximately 7%.

The bulk of the taxes, 16.75 mills, is dedicated to Rome City Schools. City government maintenance and operations will get 7.67 mills worth of funding and another 1.75 mills will go toward capital spending — the acquisition of hard assets such as land, buildings and equipment.

A tax rate of one mill represents one dollar per $1,000 of assessed value, which is 40% of a property’s fair market value. In this case, for a property valued at $250,000, without a homestead exemption, the estimated property tax will be $2,625. Compared to the 2023 valuations and millage rate, the same $250,000 property — if its tax assessment did not increase — would have a property tax of $2,645.

Commissioners also took a first look Monday at several changes recommended by the Alcohol Control Commission.

One recommendation is passage of a “small bar” category that would be exempt from the 50/50 food to drink sales ratio for liquor pouring licenses. The other would reject alcohol sales permits for people convicted of serving a minor within the past five years.

Support for the small bar ordinance seems to have gained ground in the new commission. It failed twice under the previous city commission last year.

Several downtown restaurant owners, represented by Steve Smith with Harvest Moon Cafe, spoke against the ordinance.

Likening small bars to leeches, Smith said they would not benefit other businesses downtown and would likely be a detriment to them.

“We believe the vibrancy of downtown is due in some part to the presence of full service restaurants,” Smith told commissioners. “All businesses benefit from the traffic that we generate.”

Commissioner Jamie Doss recommended that businesses falling under the small bar ordinance be held to a closing time of 11 p.m. and be limited to 1,200 square feet in size.

A recommended variance request to allow liquor sales without food sales at the new Elevation Cigar House on North Fifth Avenue was tabled pending the potential adoption of the small bar ordinance in August.

During the premeeting caucus, commissioners discussed recommendations from ACC Chair Billy Cooper concerning the small bar ordinance as well as a suggestion to remove the food to drink ratio all together.

The commission also appointed Jamie Palmer to the Northwest Housing Authority Board and appointed Calleigh Schroeder and Julie Waguespack to the Historic Preservation Commission.