At tonight’s Decatur City Commission meeting, City Manager Peggy Merriss handed out copies of this year’s budget to our commissioners.  In doing so, she summarized Asst. City Manager Andrea Arnold’s main points in the commission in her letter (page 23 of the meeting materials).

In short, due to Georgia Senate Bill 345, DeKalb County is now required to send out assessment notices to all property owners every year – not just when the assessment value changes – and they must include an estimated tax bill for the coming year.  In addition to a “new computer system”, DeKalb is further behind in their assessments than in previous years.  So Decatur is still waiting for this year’s tax digest from the County.  However, in the meantime the city has assumed a flat tax digest from last year, and has gotten nods of approval from local real estate agents regarding this decision.

However, even with a flat tax digest, city staff is recommending a slight reduction in the millage rate from 13.035 to 13 mills.  (That’s a $9 decrease on a $400,000 house, according to a comment from Ms. Arnold during the meeting.)  However, this small decline will most likely be more than off-set by a planned 1-point millage increase by the school system, which in addition to continuing fiscal pressure from ever-shrinking state funds now has an additional building to operate (5th Avenue), along with a planned 1.25% cost of living adjustment for staff.  More info on the school system’s budget can be found in this presentation from April 25th.

Ms. Merriss announced that copies of the city’s budget will be released to the public – both online and in print – this Wednesday.