By Eric Curl
June 25, 2025 – On Friday, Chatham County Commissioners will consider the 2025-2026 fiscal year budget, which goes into effect on July 1.
The county is proposing to retain the existing millage rate for the general fund, while raising the rate by 2 mills – almost 50 percent – for the Special Service District, which funds services in the unincorporated county outside city limits. The county is replacing a fire fee with the tax and the increase is needed to cover that cost, according to officials.
The proposed increase for a home with a fair market value of $275,000 will be about $213, according to county officials. However, the tax increase is replacing a fire fee that was previously implemented to fund the department and county officials say that 81% of property owners will actually see a net savings overall.
RELATED: Chatham County says tax increase needed to cover fire department costs>
The proposed budget also raises the annual curbside pickup fee charged to unincorporated residents from $85 to $125.
In addition, commissioners will consider the county’s projects to be funded with the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax ahead of the referendum to extend the 1-percent sales in November.
The county’s list of $282 million in projects includes $40 million for a juvenile court facility, $25 million for the elimination of railroad crossings and $6 million for an Airways Avenue/I-95 Interchange project, along with $94 million in other road, street, sidewalk and trail projects.
The final project lists for the city of Savannah and Chatham’s other municipalities is due to the county by July 16 and the county commission is expected to consider the SPLOST integumental agreements on July 18.
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Initially implemented in 1985, the 1-percent sales tax has been reauthorized by voters seven times since then to fund capital projects throughout the county and its municipalities. The current SPLOST is set to expire on Sept. 30, 2026 and the new 6-year tax would begin on Oct. 1 2026 of once again approved by voters during the Nov. 4 referendum.
Read the full agenda and see who else is meeting at Meeting Agendas – Savannah Agenda>
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