DESOTO COUNTY — DeSoto County commissioners backed off on a proposed millage rate increase Monday night, choosing instead to keep the ad valorem tax rate at 6.987, the same as last year.

Commissioners set a tentative millage rate in July of 7.5 mils; one mil is equal to $1 for every $1,000 of taxable property value. The proposed rate was slightly higher than the rollback rate of 7.3422, the rate needed to generate the same amount of revenue as the last fiscal year. The 7.5 millage rate was recommended in July by Commissioner Elton Langford.