LEESBURG, Ga. (WALB) — Lee County voters made their voices heard at the polls Tuesday, May 19, amid controversy surrounding county tax measures and local school board positions. Now, one county official is responding.

One incumbent school board member was unseated while another will head to a June runoff election, an incumbent county commissioner was defeated, the Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (ESPLOST) was voted down and residents continued to demand answers about millions of dollars in property tax overpayments.

Tax overpayment: What happened

Lee County residents overpaid on their 2025 property taxes after a mathematical error in the millage rate calculation went undetected, described by Commissioner Luke Singletary as a “data entry error.”

“It was a mathematical error,” Singletary said. “Instead of putting it in box A, it was in box B. For simple terms, it was just a calculation error.”

The error had a wide ripple effect. Because multiple taxing entities set their rates using the same flawed number, the overpayment extends beyond the county alone.

“With that calculation error, the taxing entities—school board, county commission, Leesburg City and Smithville City—set their tax rate off of an incorrect number,” Singletary said.

The Lee County Board of Commissioners has confirmed residents overpaid approximately $1.5 million to the county. Lee County residents say they believe the the Lee County School System erroneously collected over $5 million in overpayment—though Singletary said that figure is outside his authority to confirm.

“The school board is a completely different entity than us,” he said. “I would defer to one of their board members, their chairman, their superintendent on that.”

Refund plan: Still being worked out

The county spent weeks waiting for guidance from the Georgia Department of Revenue on how the county should pay back residents—and only learned within the last two weeks that the state would not be stepping in.

“They have said it would be a local matter,” Singletary said. “They weren’t ruling one way or the other.”

That means the decision falls entirely to the Board of Commissioners. Singletary said the board’s position has been consistent.

“Our Board of Commissioner stance has been, from the beginning, that if we overtax citizens, we were going to give a refund,” he said. “The Lee County Board of Commissioners will offer a refund.”

>> REVIEW: Commission’s original letter to the community <<

The logistics, however, remain unresolved. The county is working with their tax commissioner, Wendy David, and her billing consultants to determine the best method for issuing roughly 20,000 individual refund checks—many of which will amount to less than a dollar.

“Some of which will be 15 cents, some of which will be over $50, maybe $100,” Singletary said. “A lot of refund checks are going to be in less than a dollar.”

As of this interview, conducted on Wednesday, no firm timeline has been set.

“To give a timeline, I’m not sure,” Singletary said. “We are working on it actively every day, and as soon as we have a method to issue the refunds, we will.”

What about the 2026 millage rate?

Residents have also asked whether the overpayment and refund process will drive up their 2026 property tax bills. Singletary said from the county commission’s position, the answer is no—at least not because of the rebates.

“No, the millage rate will not go up due to this,” he said.

However, the 2026 millage rate has not yet been set and cannot be determined until later this year. Here is the timeline Singletary outlined:

• July 1: The new county budget year begins
• August: The Tax Assessor’s office sends out property assessment notices; an appeal period follows
• September/October: The Tax Assessor delivers an approved tax digest to the commission
• September/October: The Board of Commissioners sets the millage rate based on that digest
• After that: Official tax notices go out reflecting any changes

“We are unable to determine the millage rate for next fiscal year until we have all the documents... which occurs in mid-third quarter, September-ish,” Singletary said.

Election fallout: Two incumbents out, ESPLOST defeated

Tuesday’s election results reflected the frustration many Lee County residents have expressed in recent months about transparency from local leaders, including the Lee County school board. Tuesday, May 19, voters rejected the ESPLOST renewal, which would have continued a one-cent sales tax to fund school projects.

Singletary declined to comment on the ESPLOST outcome, saying school board finances are outside his jurisdiction. On the broader election results, he framed the outcome as democracy at work.

“That’s the beauty of our voting system—If you feel like there’s a need for it to change, you have a vote to try and make that happen,” he said. “Win or lose, you’re here because you’re supposed to serve the people. And if the people decide they need different leadership or different representation, then that’s their right.”

Prior to the election, Superintendent Truitt warned that if the ESPLOST failed, the cost of critical repairs—including HVAC repairs at the high school and roof projects at a middle school—could shift to property taxes instead.

>> READ MORE: Superintendent addresses concerns as Lee County votes on ESPLOST renewal <<

WALB has reached out to Lee County School System Superintendent Dr. Kathleen Truitt requesting an on-camera interview or statement about how the school will move forward now. We are waiting for a response.

WALB will continue to follow this story as the county works toward a refund plan and the school system responds to questions about its own overpayment. Check back for updates.

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