Government

South Fulton's City Council voted on Wednesday night to approve a millage rate of 12.899 mills for fiscal year 2021. The new rate represents an increase of a half mill over the projected rollback rate. The tax increase for a homestead property with a fair market value of $100,000 is approximately $5.00 and the proposed tax increase for a non-homestead property with a fair market value of $100,000 is approximately $20.00. According to officials and city staff, leaving the rate at its previous level would have resulted in a budget deficit of nearly $2.4 million. "Raising the millage rate – and property taxes – is not a decision we take lightly," said Mayor William "Bill" Edwards in a statement. "But, a millage increase is an effective tool available to us as we work to manage throu...

South Fulton's City Council will hold a final virtual public hearing on a proposed property tax increase on September 2 at 6 p.m. The increase will result from a proposed millage rate of 13.399 mills. The hearing will be live-streamed on the city's YouTube channel. Citizens have until 5 p.m. today to sign up for public comment. The proposed tax increase for a homestead property with a fair market value of $100,000 is approximately $10.00. The increase for a non-homestead property with a fair market value of $100,000 is approximately $40.00. According to an August 26 presentation by City Manager Odie Donald II, the current millage rate of 11.579 would result in a $2,359,559 deficit. South Fulton's FY21 Proposed BudgetSouth Fulton's budget is largely funded by property taxes. T...

According to a news release, City of South Fulton officials are set to consider a proposed 2021 fiscal year budget of $116 million this month. During the revenue shortfall created by COVID-19, the city has maintained a strong fiscal foundation, while continuing to provide municipal services and avoiding layoffs and furloughs. Solid budget planning – and a thorough review of expenses yielded $7.8 million in expenditure reductions in the current fiscal year – were key factors in that success, according to City Manager Odie Donald II. “The world is experiencing the most severe global health crisis in modern history,” Donald said. “COVID-19 has negatively impacted the way we move, purchase goods and services, educate our children, and deliver services worldwide. The great strides taken ...

According to a press release, the City of South Fulton is launching its first citizens' academy. Similar to Fulton County's Citizens University, South Fulton U is designed to educate residents about the multiple functions of local government. Unlike the Fulton County offering, South Fulton U is a free. Facilitated virtually, the 10-week program will cover various aspects of city government, including communication and external affairs, human resources, information technology, community development, code enforcement, zoning, planning, parks and recreation, public works, economic development, public safety and more. The program is aimed at encouraging civic participation and engagement in the community. The program also seeks to build residents’ knowledge about city operations, while...

For the first time, the City of South Fulton is seeking entitlement funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to access the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for 2021. City officials plan to submit a five-year consolidated plan and annual action plan to HUD that will prioritize how the grant will be spent. According to Christina Cummings, deputy director of community development and regulatory affairs, the city will receive approximately $500,000 in the initial round of funding. “This is the city’s inaugural application for the CDBG fund,” Cummings said. “Previously, because the city was connected to Fulton County, we accessed the fund through Fulton County’s consortium. We are breaking away from that consortium and accessing our own funds to...

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced Thursday he is suing Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms over the city's mask mandate, claiming the measure violates his emergency orders. South Fulton Mayor William "Bill" Edwards is calling the lawsuit "unjustified" and "just plain wrong." South Fulton recently passed a similar mask mandate before Gov. Kemp declared that all local measures to enforce the wearing of masks were unenforceable. "I join with mayors from all over Georgia who stand up and govern in manner for which they were elected," Edwards said in a statement. "This has gone too far and infringes on our rights to govern as we promised to with a top priority of ensuring the health and welfare of our constituents. That is exactly what I will continue to do, no matter what executive orde...