Catoosa County school board approves property tax hike, blames state legislature
Catoosa County superintendent Chance Nix addressing the county’s school board and residents on July 16, 2026.
RINGGOLD, Ga. (WDEF)- “Where is the money going? Where is all of that revenue going towards?”
The Catoosa County School Board decided Thursday night whether or not to raise property taxes.
Despite pleas from frustrated residents in three separate public hearings, the Catoosa County School Board unanimously approved a 13.62 percent tax hike for next year’s fiscal budget.
For example, if you have a home worth $300,000 your annual property tax bill would go up by $195 per year.
If you have non-homestead property worth $300,000 your bill would go up $226 per year.
Catoosa County schools superintendent Chance Nix says the highest pressure point for the school system is the rise in health care costs.
Nix explained that the schools needed to make up a three million dollar shortfall, and, “Of that three million dollars I want you to understand that 1.5 million that went to healthcare so you didn’t get the money that sometimes the community thinks that was there.”
Some of the school board members such as Suzan Gibson blamed the Georgia State Legislature for recent actions including required private audits, mandatory staff bonuses unfunded at the state level, and senior tax exemptions.
Nix said that the private audits alone would cost the school system $500,000 over the next five years, and that the state was only funding 68 percent of the salaries of staff.
Gibson said, “We’re backed into a corner, and we need some help from the state level. There are things that could be done at the state level that potentially could help us.”
We caught up with Representative Mitchell Horner, the Republican representative for Catoosa County in District 3 the Georgia State House after the vote.
He says that it was inappropriate for the school board to blame the Georgia legislature.
Rep. Horner said, “You have to look at your entire budget like the state has to. Half of the problems are absolutely coming from the state. No one’s doubting that. The other half is still local choices and local decisions and so you have to balance that out.”
He went on to question the numbers in the budget.
Rep. Horner explained, “They’re asking for $7.9 million and even if you take everything at face value which we contest the face value of their numbers is $4.2 million. So why are they requesting a further $3.5 million in tax increases?”
Margaret Spear, his Democratic opponent in the upcoming November election, says that she supported the board’s decision, arguing they didn’t have a choice.
Spear said, “The state legislature still hasn’t updated the QBE formula, which is what funds public schools here since 1985. So what I think really needs to happen is an update to that instead of what we have right now which is unfunded mandates that have been brought down from the state to the school system and forces the county to pay for it.”
