Newspaper Page Text
Page 16A
LOCAL
The Champion, Thursday, May 21 - 27, 2015
Report:
LaVista Hills is feasible
by Carla Parker
carla@dekalbchamp.com
LaVista Hills will have
a surplus of more than $1.7
million, according to the pro
posed city’s new feasibility
study.
The Carl Vinson Institute
of the University of Georgia
released its study of the pro
posed city of LaVista Hills
May 15. According to the re
port, LaVista Hills can provide
public safety, parks, planning,
zoning, business development
and road maintenance with no
tax increase and a “substantial”
annual surplus of more than
$1.7 million.
“The UGA analysis con
firms what we already knew,
that LaVista Hills will provide
increased services with no
new taxes,” said Allen Venet,
co-chair of LaVista Hills YES.
“UGA completed as conserva
tive and accurate a study as
possible, and they still project
a surplus of more than a mil
lion and a half dollars every
year.”
The Georgia General As
sembly passed the LaVista
Hills cityhood bill April 2, and
Gov. Nathan Deal signed the
bill May 12. The bill was intro
duced before a new feasibility
study was done.
Forming a new city in
Georgia is a two-year process
that includes a financial feasi
bility study. When the House
DeKalb County Cityhood Sub
committee held a hearing in
December 2014, it decided to
waive the rule and not require
LaVista Hills and the proposed
city of Tucker to do a new fea
sibility study, despite changes
in each map.
LaVista Hills was previ
ously using the Lakeside feasi
bility study.
According to a press re
lease from LaVista Hills YES,
the new study adopted more
conservative spending projec
tions.
“It assumes an increased
police force of 104 officers,
which will represent a three
fold increase in the number of
officers on patrol in LaVista
Hills,” the statement read.
“The study also assumed
much lower HOST tax credit
revenues for the city, consis
tent with new HOST legisla
tion and the reduction in
HOST proceeds allocation.”
The feasibility study pro
jected annual revenues to be
more than $36 million and
total annual expenses of more
than $34 million. The city will
have an estimated population
of more than 67,000 residents,
439 lane miles of roads and
more than 50 acres of parks.
Voters will vote on the
LaVista Hills referendum Nov.
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November I5 f 2014
Updated December 19, 2014 per
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NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS ON THE
2015-2016 PROPOSED BUDGET
FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR, GEORGIA
NOTICE OF
PROPERY TAX INCREASE
There will be public hearings on the proposed 2015-2016 budget for the City of Decatur
at 7:30 p.m. on June 1,2015, at 6:00 p.m. on June 8,2015, and at 7:30 p.m. on June 15,
2015 in the City Commission Meeting Room at City Hall, 509 N. McDonough Street,
Decatur. The proposed budget is summarized below and is available in its entirety for
public inspection at Decatur City Hall and at the Decatur Library on Sycamore Street.
After May 20 th , the budget will be available on the City’s website at
www.decaturga.com/budget. All citizens are invited to attend the public hearings, to
provide written and oral comments, and ask questions concerning the entire budget.
FY 2015-2016
PROPOSED GENERAL FUND REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES
REVENUES
Taxes 19,171,750
Licenses, Permits & Inspections 1,207,310
Penalties, Fines & Forfeitures 1,318,500
Interest 500
Charges for Current Services 1,535,350
Intergovernmental Revenues 490,120
Miscellaneous Revenue 137,820
Sale of Fixed Assets 10,000
Operating Transfers (3 82,310)
Appropriation From (To) Fund Balance (271,800)
TOTAL REVENUES $23,217,240
EXPENDITURES
Governmental Control Department 187,100
General Government Department 1,808,540
Community & Economic Development Department 1,913,610
Administrative Services Department 3,356,330
Police Department 5,541,350
Fire & Rescue Department 3,567,570
Public Works Department 2,964,840
Design, Environment & Construction Division 2,028,990
Active Living Division 1,848,910
TOTAL EXPENDITURES $23,217,240
The DeKalb County School District has tentatively adopted a millage rate which will
require an increase in property taxes by 10.47 percent.
All concerned citizens are invited to the public hearing on this tax increase to be held at
6:15 p.m. June 1, 2015, DeKalb County School District J. David Williamson Board Room,
1701 Mountain Industrial Blvd., Stone Mountain, Georgia
Times and places of additional public hearings on this tax increase are at:
11:30 a.m. June 17, 2015, DeKalb County School District J. David Williamson
Board Room, 1701 Mountain Industrial Blvd., Stone Mountain, Georgia
6:15 p.m. June 17, 2015, DeKalb County School District J. David Williamson
Board Room, 1701 Mountain Industrial Blvd., Stone Mountain, Georgia
This tentative increase will result in a millage rate of 23.98 mills, an increase of 2.272
mills. Without this tentative tax increase, the millage rate will be no more than 21.708
mills. The proposed tax increase for a home with a fair market value of $175,000 is
approximately $130.64 and the proposed tax increase for non-homestead property with
a fair market value of $275,000 is approximately $249.92.