In a called meeting Monday, the Griffin-Spalding County Board of Education approved a millage rate of 19.47 mills for 2012 property tax bills. The unanimous approval by the three board members in attendance — Chairman James Westbury, Vice Chairman James Graham and Michael Kendall — makes the decision final.

Although the new millage rate marks a .41 increase from last year’s 19.06 millage rate, the school system is unlikely to see more money because of it.

“We expect to collect less tax this year than last year,” said Assistant Superintendent and Chief Financial Officer Jim Smith, explaining that the total amount of tax levied across the county is less this year than the year before. “We expect to generate about $500,000 less than last year.”

The school system intends to make up for the $500,000 shortfall through changes it made to its personnel budget, as they relate to unfilled positions.

Asked what he believes the impact of a .41 millage rate increase to be for the average property owner, Smith said it’s too early to tell because the county currently has a re-evaluation process in place.

Leaving the millage rate at 19.06 mills would have created a revenue shortfall of slightly more than $1 million, which would have put the school system under even more financial distress.

“We are losing about $7 million a year (in funds) we should be getting from the state,” Smith said, adding that the school system has already put in place a number of cost-cutting measures while serving its students well in the best way possible.

“It’s always our goal to put the best quality education in for our students, every day, with the funds that we have,” he said.