East Cobb homeowners will pay more in school property taxes this year even though the Cobb County Board of Education held the millage rate flat.

The board voted Friday, July 24, to keep the school tax rate at 18.7 mills for the 2026 tax year, the same rate as the prior year. But rising assessed property values across the county mean higher tax bills for many residents regardless.

The vote came at the end of a required three-hearing process under Georgia's Taxpayers Bill of Rights, which mandates public hearings whenever a district stands to collect more revenue from increased property assessments, even without a rate hike.

Why bills go up at a flat rate

The math is straightforward. In Georgia, assessed value is 40% of a home's fair market value. If a home's market value rose from $500,000 to $550,000, the assessed value climbed by $20,000, adding roughly $374 to the school tax bill at 18.7 mills. The Cobb County Tax Assessor sets those values, not the school board.

Chief Financial Officer David Baker presented the tax digest to the board at the first public hearing on July 9, according to district meeting minutes. The district's fiscal year 2027 budget, approved May 14, was built on the assumption that the 18.7-mill rate would continue.

A boisterous meeting

The millage vote was overshadowed by fierce public backlash over President Donald Trump's visit to Wheeler High School on Thursday, July 23. More than a dozen speakers criticized the district during public comment for hosting what they called a partisan political event, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

When the board played a video recap of Trump's Wheeler visit, roughly half the audience walked out in protest, Fox 5 Atlanta reported.

Superintendent Chris Ragsdale defended the visit, calling it "a rare and historic honor" and noting the White House chose Cobb County from more than 13,000 public school districts nationwide.

The board also approved capital projects at Campbell High School and Kincaid Elementary School at the same session, the Marietta Daily Journal reported.

What's next for East Cobb taxpayers

The school millage is only one piece of the property tax bill. The Cobb County Board of Commissioners is scheduled to vote on its own FY2027 budget and 2026 millage rates at its meeting Tuesday, July 28, at 7 p.m. at 100 Cherokee St. in Marietta. The county is proposing to hold its General Fund rate at 8.46 mills, Fire at 2.97 mills, and Cumberland Special Services District II at 2.45 mills.

Residents can attend the July 28 meeting or submit comments through the county's public hearing process.