The cities of Pembroke and Richmond Hill and the Bryan County Board of Education will hold public hearings beginning next week on what will mean tax increases for property owners in Bryan County.

The hearings are necessary because none of the three local taxing authorities has elected to take a rollback millage rate. It is calculated using the total tax digest to “roll back,” taxes to the same amount collected the previous year if all else is equal.

That means if millage rates remain the same as the previous year, which appears to be the case again this year, the rise in property values due to inflationary growth will mean higher taxes.

Local governments that keep millage rates the same are required by state law to advertise and hold hearings on decisions not to take rollback rates as tax increases, which they dispute.

Local governments also say they have to provide increased services due to the county’s rapid growth, which necessitates not taking rollback rates.

Only the Bryan County Board of Commissioners has consistently elected in recent years to take the rollback rate.

The amount of the tax increase property owners will see on their tax bills will depend on where they live.

Richmond Hill, Pembroke and the BOE have required advertising inside giving estimates of how much the increase will mean in taxes.

Officials say there should be a break of roughly $400 for local property owners, however, due to Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s decision last year to fund property tax breaks with the state’s budget surplus.

Hearings are set for 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Aug. 24, and again at 6 p.m. Sept. 5 at Richmond Hill City Hall; the School Board will hold hearings at 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Aug. 24, and again at 9 a.m. Aug. 31, all at the BOE office in Black Creek.

Pembroke will hold hearings at City Hall at 10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Aug. 25 and 6 p.m. Aug. 31.