School bond referendum passes

The Decatur school bond referendum was approved yesterday by a vote of 78 percent to 22 percent. Beginning in 2016, the amount that property taxes will increase because of the school bond will depend on individual property values. The school bond millage rate will probably be 2.69 mills. Projections of how this will affect tax bills can be found on the City Schools of Decatur website here.  Taxes for a property appraised by DeKalb County at $250,000 would go up by about $335; taxes for a home worth $350,000 would go up by about $470; and taxes for a house valued at $450,000 would go up by about $600 a year.

A school bond referendum also passed in Pike County, Georgia, yesterday. Special local option sales tax referendums were also approved in Augusta, Hall County, Baldwin County, and Putnam County.