RICHMOND HILL, Ga. () – Richmond Hill City Council voted to roll back their current millage rate, despite originally announcing a proposed property tax increase.

After several public hearings, city council opted not to keep the millage rate at the same level as years past at a meeting Tuesday.

“I would love to own a home here. This is my home, but with rising prices and lack of affordable options, that dream for me has been out of reach,” a Richmond Hill resident who spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting said. “When property taxes go up, it doesn’t just affect homeowners. It pushes rent higher. It makes housing even less affordable, and it closes the door for families like mine.”

The effort to persuade council to roll back the rate was spearheaded by local residents, some of whom championed the decision because of what they called a misuse of funds.

“The residents, what they’re asking is ‘why are we paying more and getting less?’ Why are dollars tied up in empty land, idle buildings, and government comfort, with the beautiful city hall renovations, while neighborhoods flood and roads gridlock?” Corey Foreman, who is running to represent Georgia’s state Senate District 1, said just before the vote was taken.

According to Georgia law, municipalities have to hold public hearings if they have plans to keep the millage rate the same or increase it yearly.

Originally, the city announced its intention to keep the millage rate at 4.132, which would have meant a property tax increase of almost 4%.

However, after a series of public hearings, council opted to take the rollback rate of 3.981.

“This isn’t just about numbers. It’s about being good stewards of your hard-earned tax dollars. We’ve been proactive in our financial planning to ensure that we can provide immediate relief to taxpayers while also maintaining the services you expect and deserve,” Mayor of Richmond Hill Russ Carpenter said.