The Wilkes County Board of Education has set hearings for Thursday, September 2, at 11 a.m.; Thursday, September 2, at 6 p.m.; and Monday, September 13, at 11 a.m. The board has set a called meeting to set the official millage rate on Monday, September 13, at noon.

The Board of Education has said that it is going to have to raise its portion of property taxes to keep afloat after continuing shortfalls in state and federal funds. The board voted to keep the millage rate at 16.75, but an increase in the tax digest will make that the equivalent of a 3.31 percent increase in the school system portion of property taxes.

The Wilkes County Board of Commissioners has set a hearing for Monday, Septemnber 13, in the Commissioners’ Board Room at the Wilkes County Courthouse. The hearing will be followed by a called meeting to formally adopt the tax rate.

The county announcement, published elsewhere in today’s News- Reporter, says that the board of commissioners has tentatively adopted a millage rate that will result in a decrease in property taxes by 4.75 percent in incorporated areas of the county, and a decrease of 4.68 percent in unincorporated areas.

Due to increases in the appraised value of many properties, however, many landowners expect to see increases in their tax bills.