DALTON, Ga. — They didn’t formally make a decision on the 2017 tax rate on Monday, but members of the Whitfield County Board of Education all seemed to be leaning toward holding the property tax rate at 18.756 mills, where it has been since 2012.

Because of the growth of the tax digest, that rate will bring in more revenue, so it’s considered a tax increase under state law, and the board will have to hold three public hearings before formally setting the tax rate.

According to data presented at a called board meeting on Monday, that tax rate is projected to bring in $31.5 million. To offset fully the effects of the growing digest, the board would have to roll the tax rate back to 17.924 mills, which would bring in a projected $30.2 million.

Finance Director Kelly Johnson Coon told board members that if they leave the tax rate unchanged the school system will run a projected deficit of $410,351 during the current fiscal year, which started July 1, leaving the system with a $21.2 million fund balance. But if they fully roll back the tax rate, the system would run a $1.6 million deficit and have a fund balance of $19.99 million at the end of the school year.

“No one wants to pay higher taxes,” said Board Chairman Bill Worley. “We are all taxpayers ourselves. But we have a responsibility to provide an education to our students.”

In public forums, several Whitfield County residents have said they do not believe the numbers behind the tax digest are accurate. In particular, they have charged that a recent reassessment of residential properties may have overestimated how much the properties have increased in value.

“That has me concerned,” said Worley. “I know a lot of people are appealing their assessments. If a lot of those people win their appeals, it will reduce the digest and the tax we collect. And if we roll back the tax rate, we really could see a loss in revenue.”

Board member Thomas Barton said he hopes some of those questions are resolved before board members have to set the tax rate.

“We don’t want to roll back the rate this year and then have to raise it even higher next year,” he said.

Board member Tony Stanley agreed.

“I think this board and this school system have been very responsible with our spending,” he said. “We weathered the recession and are starting to come back. We aren’t fully there yet, and I don’t think it would responsible for us to take a step back when we still aren’t fully sure what’s ahead.”

Superintendent Judy Gilreath said officials will try to schedule the three public hearings as quickly as possible.