Madison City Council members and Rutledge City Council members observed the niceties of the law last week and proceeded with three public hearings to set local millage rates, despite the fact that not a single citizen attended the publicized meetings.

Morgan County officials likewise went through the motions last week, although only representatives of the media were present for the formalities.

The city, for its part, set the 2007 millage rate at a rolled-back 3.132 mills, down 2.6 mills from last year. That rate is set to generate approximately $959,000 for city operations.

“Between the 2006 and 2007 digests, there was a pretty significant increase [in value], based on the re-evaluation work being done [by the county],� said Madison City Manager David Nunn.

Nunn indicated to council members that taking the rollback rate meant that increased tax collections were based on new additions to the tax digest, not on reappraisals of existing homes and property.

The council also approved millage rates for its Special Tax Districts, setting both of those at .809 mills. This rate, applying only to property owners near the interstate or in downtown Madison, generates revenue used to pay the electricity bill for interstate lights or for special downtown projects such as the Main Street program, respectively. The rate is expected to generate about $21,000 for each district, culled not from the entire city tax digest but from much smaller geographical areas.

County officials set their millage rate last week at 8.43. Every resident of Morgan County pays this base tax rate, plus the millage rate set by the Board of Education, which is 12.735 Residents of the incorporated cities of Madison, Rutledge, Bostwick and Buckhead pay city millage rates as well. Bostwick and Buckhead have not yet held meetings to confirm those city rates for the coming year. The Rutledge City Councl last Thursday unanimously approved a 3.779 millage rate, a reduction of 1.221 mills from last year’s 5.000 rate. Despite the reduction, council members expect to raise an additionally $5,000 in ad valorem taxes. Projections are that the city will raise $88,333 from ad valorem taxes, up from last year’s projected $83,047.

County and city taxes are traditionally collected each year in December.Â