DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Brookhaven city leaders are set to vote Tuesday evening on a proposed 47% property tax increase, a move city officials say is necessary to keep pace with rising costs but one many residents argue would place an additional financial burden on homeowners.
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The proposal was the subject of another public hearing Tuesday morning, where residents voiced their concerns ahead of the final vote.
“I think we’ve lost sight of common people,” resident Deborah McSheffrey said during the hearing.
Others questioned the city’s budgeting decisions.
“You approved a budget that wasn’t fundable,” one speaker told city leaders.
The proposed increase comes as Brookhaven officials say a property tax assessment freeze, which has been in place since the city’s founding, has effectively frozen property tax revenue while operating costs have continued to rise.
“It is very hard for us to maintain the same level of services with those millage rates,” Mayor John Park said.
To keep up with increasing costs, city leaders are proposing a 47% increase in property taxes.
For the average homesteaded home valued at $800,000, the increase would amount to nearly $395 more per year in property taxes.
City leaders say the additional revenue would help fund services, including police, parks and road improvements.
“For Brookhaven, I think we get more than what you pay for. You get more for what you paid for. We get great services,” Park said.
Not everyone agrees.
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Resident Ronnie Mayer argued the city should focus on cutting costs rather than raising taxes.
“It’s just spend, spend, spend, spend. And now you’re fixing to see a revolt,” Mayer said.
“They’re not good stewards of our money. You have to be a business person. And if you don’t know how to be a businessperson, step aside,” he added.
City leaders say the decision comes down to whether residents are willing to pay more to maintain current service levels.
“The decisions we make today are all about the future of Brookhaven,” Mayor Pro Tem John Funny said.
According to city leaders, if the proposed increase is not approved, Brookhaven could be forced to eliminate approximately 60 positions, representing about a quarter of the city’s workforce.
The Brookhaven City Council is expected to vote on the proposal Tuesday evening.
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