Walker County residents could see a property tax increase later this year as county commissioners consider ways to pay for nine additional firefighter positions.
The possibility was discussed during a special called work session Thursday morning as commissioners reviewed funding options for the proposed expansion of the Walker County Fire Rescue Department.
According to county officials, the department currently employs 72 full-time staff members, including 54 full-time firefighters who work 24-hour shifts. Adding nine firefighters would allow every fire apparatus to respond with a minimum of three firefighters, a staffing goal officials say would improve safety and service.
To fund those positions, commissioners discussed a potential property tax increase of approximately 9% for residents in unincorporated Walker County and 11% for those living in incorporated areas.
County leaders emphasized that a tax increase is only one of five options under consideration and that no decision has been made.
Commissioners said years of adopting the full rollback millage rate, combined with continued population growth, have created the current funding challenge. Walker County’s millage rate has dropped from 16.157 mills in 2020 to 8.954 mills in 2025.
Officials noted that although the county’s tax digest has increased by roughly $1.2 billion during that time, overall property tax revenue has remained relatively flat because of the annual rollback.
Commissioner Mark Askew said the issue is not one of excessive spending but rather a lack of revenue to keep pace with the county’s growth.
“We can talk about how much taxes are and they’ve not changed much in nine years, yet we’re still not collecting any more money,” Askew said. “We’ve all looked at it very hard, and it has nothing to do with money being wasted. It has to do that there isn’t enough that comes for a county that continues to grow.”
Commissioners also discussed increasing the county’s fire safety fee instead of raising property taxes. The current fee is 14 cents per square foot of a home, with a maximum annual charge of $600. One proposal would eliminate that cap for larger homes.
Askew argued that owners of larger homes should contribute more toward fire protection.
“If you choose to have a really extravagant place, I don’t know why you wouldn’t expect to pay a little bit more for your protection versus a 1,000-square-foot home,” he said.
Walker County Fire Chief Blake Hodge questioned how much additional revenue removing the cap would actually generate.
“There’s not a lot of big houses in Walker County,” Hodge said. “You’re not gonna generate a lot of money.”
Other options discussed included reducing the number of new firefighter positions, using money from the county’s reserve fund, or adopting a combination of funding methods.
If commissioners decide to pursue a property tax increase, Georgia law requires the county to formally propose the increase and hold a series of public hearings before a final vote can be taken.
The Walker County Board of Commissioners is scheduled to meet again on Thursday, Aug. 6, when the discussion could continue.