The Decatur County Board of Commissioners passed the 2019 Decatur County tax levy Tuesday, lowering its millage rate by 0.008 a mill.

The 2019 millage rate clocks in at 10.365, a smidge lower than 2018’s 10.373. The Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the new rate.

The rates for all taxable property in Decatur County are as follows:

• 10.365 mills on all properties located in incorporated areas (Bainbridge, Attapulgus, Brinson and Climax).
• 10.365 mills on all taxable property located in the unincorporated areas.
• 0.9 mills (except for in the City of Bainbridge) on all taxable properties for the Fire Services Special District.
• 0.25 mills for the Bainbridge-Decatur County Development Authority.
• 1.250 mills for the Bainbridge-Decatur County Recreation Authority.
• 2 mills for the Bainbridge-Decatur County Hospital Authority.
• 0.86 mills on property in the unincorporated areas for items specifically identified by the Service Delivery Agreement for the unincorporated areas.
• 1 mill for economic development bonds.

The economic development bonds category refers to part of the incentive package given to Taurus, USA to build its North American headquarters in Bainbridge

Taurus, USA, a leading international firearms manufacturer, announced in April 2018 its plans to invest more than $22.5 million in infrastructure and operations to build its new North American headquarters at the Commodore Industrial Park in Bainbridge.

The Bainbridge-Decatur County Industrial Development Authority, the City of Bainbridge and the Decatur County Board of Commissioners together provided $20,000,000 to be used for site preparations and construction of a building and firing range to Taurus USA’s specifications.

Taurus USA’s new manufacturing plant will be 200,000-square-feet and create 300 jobs. Construction is nearing completion with plans for the headquarters to be fully operational at the beginning of 2020.