Walker County homeowners will see lower property tax bills next year, following action by local officials to reduce millage rates. At their September meeting, the Walker County Board of Commissioners approved a rollback of the property tax millage rate to the lowest level since 2012. For a home with a fair market value of $250,000, that means a tax reduction of about $17 in unincorporated areas. Homeowners in cities will save even more — around $37 per year — in county maintenance and operations taxes. The new county millage rate is 5.151, down 3.33% from last year for rural property owners. For city residents, the rate dropped nearly 5.5%, from 7.027 mills to 6.645 mills. The Walker County Board of Education also adopted a full rollback rate, holding school taxes steady despite rising property values. Their millage rate is set at 14.418. When combining the county and school tax changes, a homeowner with a homestead exemption and a $250,000 property will save around $72 in unincorporated areas — and about $93 in the cities — compared to last year. Officials note that even with lower rates, property owners may still see higher tax bills if their property values increased over the past year.
Visitors to Chickamauga Battlefield should expect temporary road closures over the next two months, as the National Park Service begins road rehabilitation work. Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park has awarded a construction contract to upgrade Dyer Road and Snodgrass Hill Road within the battlefield. The roads will be closed one at a time, not simultaneously, to minimize disruption. Work began this week with the closure of Dyer Road, between Glenn-Kelly and LaFayette Roads. During each closure, all traffic — including vehicles, bicycles, horses, and pedestrians — will be prohibited from using the affected section. The project is expected to be completed by November 21st. Officials thank the public for their patience as improvements are made to preserve and enhance access to this historic site.
In Walker County, Democratic congressional candidate Shawn Harris is making a campaign stop this week as part of his ongoing town hall tour. Harris will be at the Walker County Civic Center in Rock Spring on Thursday, September 25th. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and the program begins at 6. The event, hosted by the Walker County Democratic Committee, will give residents a chance to hear directly from Harris about his plans if elected to Congress. Attendees will also have the opportunity to ask questions during an open forum.
Only one felony arrest Sunday in Walker County. 41-year-old Matthew Leroy Stokes was charged with driving without a valid license, possession of meth, simple battery and vehicle theft. The complete arrest report is posted daily on our website at DiscoverWalker.com.