Camden commissioners set countywide millage at 13 mills, below the advertised rate

The Camden County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday set the 2026 countywide property tax rate at 13 mills, slightly below the 13.139 mills the county had advertised and up from last year's rate of 11.929 mills.

The vote came at a special called meeting that followed the fourth and final public hearing on the proposed rates. The same motion kept the unincorporated service district rate at 1.123 mills, unchanged from last year, and set the Woodbine incorporated fire district levy at its rollback rate of 1.290 mills.

Before settling on 13 mills, the board voted down a motion to keep the countywide rate at 11.929 mills. A commissioner who spoke against that motion said the board had adopted the rollback rate for the past four years and covered the difference with reserves, and that continuing to spend fund balance was not a good idea.

Chairman Robbie Cheek said earlier in the meeting that the county faces a budget deficit of about $2 million and that its fund balance is about 20% of the budget, below the 25% level the county treats as healthy. A board member said during the vote discussion that the advertised rate would have lifted the fund balance to about 26%, while 13 mills is expected to leave it a little above 25%. Cheek also compared a stronger fund balance to a good credit score, saying it could help the county get a better rate when it borrows for large projects.

According to the county's tax notice, the rollback rate, which would bring in about the same revenue as last year, was 11.263 mills. The 13-mill rate is 1.071 mills higher than last year's rate.