Warner Robins, Georgia - The City of Warner Robins Mayor and Council have adopted a 2026 property tax millage rate of 10.000 mills, following the required public hearing process and consideration of the City’s financial needs, operating costs and continued commitment to providing essential services to the community.
The 2026 rate represents a change from the City’s historically low rate of 8.953 mills, which was adopted in 2024 and maintained in 2025. In 2024, Mayor and Council elected to roll back the City’s millage rate, providing property owners with the benefit of a reduced rate at a time when the City continued to manage increasing operational demands.
Since that time, however, the cost of providing municipal services has continued to increase. Inflationary pressures have affected personnel, equipment, materials, fuel, maintenance, public safety operations, infrastructure and other essential services. After careful consideration, Mayor and Council determined that an adjustment to the millage rate was necessary to help maintain the level of services expected by the Warner Robins community.
While the 2026 rate represents a 1.047-mill increase from the 2025 rate of 8.953 mills, the new rate remains closely aligned with the City’s historical millage rates. The 10.000-mill rate is just 0.020 mills higher than the 9.980-mill rate that was in place for six consecutive years from 2018 through 2023 and before the 2024 rollback. It is also only 0.010 mills higher than the 9.990-mill rates used in several years prior to that, and just 0.001 mills above the 9.999-mill rate adopted in 2012.
Year | Millage Rate |
2011 | 9.990 |
2012 | 9.999 |
2013–2015 | 9.990 |
2016 | 9.979 |
2017 | 9.983 |
2018–2023 | 9.980 |
2024 | 8.953 |
2025 | 8.953 |
2026 | 10.000 |
The City has emphasized that the millage rate is only one component of an individual property owner’s tax bill. Actual property tax amounts vary based on a property’s assessed value, applicable exemptions and changes in property value.
Mayor LaRhonda W. Patrick acknowledged the difficulty of the decision while emphasizing the City’s responsibility to maintain essential services.
“No one wants to increase taxes. Council and I, along with executive staff and directors, have done everything we could over these last few years not to. But at some point, we must make tough decisions because the cost of providing services continues to increase. Relief isn’t here yet, and we must maintain in the interim. We have a responsibility to make sure our City employees have the resources they need to continue serving our community, while also maintaining the infrastructure and services our residents rely on every day.”
The City also looks forward to the future relief that will be provided through the Floating Homestead Local Option Sales Tax (FLOST), approved by Houston County voters in May 2026. FLOST will provide a new source of revenue dedicated to reducing property taxes for taxpayers throughout the county. Because the revenue will take time to build, 2028 is anticipated to be the first full calendar year in which the City will benefit from a full year of FLOST revenues. Mayor and Council extend their appreciation to the voters for supporting this important source of relief and to our state legislative delegation for helping make FLOST available to communities across Georgia.
City officials recognize that any change in the property tax rate has an impact on residents, homeowners and businesses. The decision to establish the 2026 rate followed public hearings and consideration of the City’s current and anticipated financial obligations.
“The goal is to continue providing the level of service our community expects while being responsible stewards of public funds,” Mayor Patrick said. “We will continue looking for efficiencies, pursuing additional revenue opportunities and evaluating every area of City operations.
The 2026 millage rate will be used in calculating City property taxes for the 2026 tax year. The City encourages property owners to review their individual tax bills for the specific impact based on their property’s assessed value and applicable exemptions.