FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — The Fulton County Commission is weighing its options for leaving the Westside Tax Allocation District.
It’s a partnership first built in 1992, with Fulton County co-founding it alongside the City of Atlanta and the Atlanta School Board.
According to the Fulton County Government, commissioners are weighing a resolution to end their participation in new projects from the TAD.
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The resolution proposes having Fulton County stop paying the portion it currently contributes to the Westside TAD, but the stoppage would only impact future projects, not ones it has already committed to.
Commission documents say the county has contributed $96 million to the Westside TAD since its beginning through Dec. 2024, supporting “the successful creation of affordable housing and business redevelopment in the area.”
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As of April, the county’s portion of the Westside TAD bond debt is $5.85 million.
The proposed resolution to leave the TAD for future projects says continuing to pay the county portion of the program would be roughly $9.4 million this year.
Instead, commissioners fear the expenses will only grow annually as excess funds are collected in the Westside TAD.
“The county must weigh the needs of the Westside TAD against the needs of all its citizens as it considers the best use of taxpayer dollars,” the resolution reads.
It goes on to state that the county would find it in the best interest of its citizens to use the tax revenue currently going to the Westside TAD for critical services with a more direct benefit, instead.
Additionally, officials said in the resolution that leaving the Westside TAD would help the county prevent unnecessary property tax increases to residents.
“As written and described yesterday, the resolution would only mean the county’s tax increment would not be put toward future projects. Existing obligations would not be affected,” Jim Gaines, Fulton County Government Public Affairs Manager, told Channel 2 Action News.
The commission discussed the plan to leave the partnership on Wednesday, but the measure did not go to a vote.
Instead, commissioners unanimously voted to have the measure held until a later date.
Channel 2 Action News has reached out to Invest Atlanta, the Atlanta City Council and Atlanta Mayor’s Office and Atlanta Public Schools for comment on the change Fulton County commissioners are considering and are waiting for their responses.
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