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Brookhaven adopts first
budget, but hasn’t set it all yet
BY MELISSA WEINMAN
melissaweinman@reporternewspapers.net
Brookhaven City Council has adopt
ed the city’s first budget, but acknowl
edges the plan is still a work in progress.
At a March 26 meeting, council
members combated rumors that the city
would raise taxes, explaining that the tax
millage will not be set until June.
Before the budget adoption, many
Brookhaven residents received anony
mous, prerecorded phone calls and post
cards claiming that city taxes and utility
fees would be increasing.
City Councilman Joe Gebbia said
he and the other council members are
committed to not raising property taxes
above the level residents paid last year as
part of unincorporated DeKalb County.
“It’s a shame some of the information
that’s being put out there is just a lack
of knowledge about what the truth is,”
Gebbia said.
Mayor J. Max Davis pointed out the
city’s charter caps the city millage at
3.35 mills. The taxes on a property are
determined by multiplying the millage
times the assessed value of the property,
minus any allowable exemptions such as
homestead exemptions.
Financial consultant Chris Pike said
the budget likely will be adjusted sev
eral times during 2013. “This is a flu
id document over the course of this year.
You will encounter unintended issues as
well as things you saw coming down the
line,” Pike said.
Of the nearly $16.5 million budget
that was approved, $4 million is allocated
to Finance and Administration, $4.3 mil
lion is set aside for contingency for future
projects, and $2.6 million is reserved for
setting up the city’s police department.
The budget calls for a tax rate of 3.35
mills. But that millage will not be ad
opted until DeKalb County sets the tax
digest, or the value of taxable property
within the county.
“The amount in here right now is for
lack of a better word a ‘placeholder,’”
Pike said.
“It’s a shame some of
the information that’s
being put out there is
just a lack of knowledge
about what the truth is.”
- JOE GEBBIA
CITY COUNCILMAN
Davis said he is hopeful that the city
will be able to lower its tax rate once the
digest is set.
“There’s a lot of moving parts to this
tax bill,” said Councilwoman Rebecca
Chase Williams.
She pointed out that DeKalb Coun
ty still controls tax assessments, home
stead exemptions, and the portion of the
Homestead Option Sales Tax or HOST,
that Brookhaven will receive.
“These are facts we really have no
control over. The bulk of your money
will still go to DeKalb County,” she said.
“Our portion of about 3 mills is what
we’re working hard to control.”
According to a news release,
Brookhaven anticipates receiving $5
million in real property taxes, $3.5 mil
lion from HOST, $400,000 in personal
property taxes and $350,000 in motor
vehicle taxes, along with $1.8 million in
business and occupation taxes, and $1.3
million in franchise fees.
Councilman Jim Eyre pointed out
that due to several revenue streams
the city will not be able to collect un
til 2014, the first year’s budget is lower
than it will be in the future. He said re
gardless of the challenges, the city was
able to set aside money to start a police
force this year.
“Even with reduced revenue we have
an almost $5 million reserve,” Eyre said.
“That obviously is money we will choose
to spend very wisely.”
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2 | APRIL5 —APRIL 18, 2013 | www.ReporterNewspapers.net
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