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 Budget
South Fulton’s budget is largely funded by property taxes. The city’s proposed budget for FY21 is $116,042,138. The sum includes a general fund of $68,858,405, compared to FY20’s general fund of $73,821,952. The budget also includes TSPLOST funds totaling $41,102,899 and $1,727,334 in capital grants. The remainder of the funds would be generated from blighted properties, E911, hotel and motel tax, solid waste revenues and other grants.
The current budget reflects 15 percent in cuts in response to COVID-19 and an eight percent reduction in the city’s tax digest due to the loss of properties along Fulton Industrial Boulevard.
The proposed budget would not allow for increases in police or fire personnel and would delay the implementation of the police department’s beat study designed to reduce response times. Additionally, the budget limits the overall maintenance fund for Public Works, and the ability to respond to infrastructure emergencies. Under the current budget, the implementation of a single provider for citywide trash service would also be delayed.
The proposed property tax increase would allow the city to expand the FY21 budget and address some, but not all, of these issues.
The first public hearing on the FY21 proposed budget took place on August 25. Additional budget hearings will be held on Sept. 10 and Sept. 15 at 10 a.m. Budget adoption is scheduled for Sept. 22 at 10 a.m.