Think these 200 folks turned out to cheer on Sembler’s request for a 20 year tax abatement on the Brookhaven project?

Think again.

Thanks to a fiscally conservative budget and a relatively strong housing market, Decatur has proposed keeping its millage rate unchanged in the coming fiscal year.

On the other hand, DeKalb County has some serious shortfalls to make up, thanks to things like plummeting real estate prices and the recent incorporation of commercial-rich Dunwoody.  So even though they’ve been trying to cut the budget, it’s not surprising to find out that County taxes will also be going up…for some more than others.

Here’s commissioner Jeff Radar’s note that was posted on the Clairmont Heights blog…

DECATUR – The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners has tentatively adopted millage rates which will require an increase in property taxes by the following percentages:

Unincorporated 3.73%

Avondale Estates Special Services 0.73%
Chamblee Special Services 0.43%
Decatur Special Services 1.33%
Debt Service 6.94%

All concerned citizens are invited to the public hearings on this tax increase to be held on the following dates, at the indicated times [at the Maloof Administration Building Auditorium, 1300 Commerce Drive, Decatur, Georgia]:

Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at 10:00 A.M.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at 6:00 P.M.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at 10:00 A.M.

When annexation was delayed earlier this year, this closing of the tax gap between Decatur and DeKalb was something the mayor predicted would help convince unincorporated residents to accept Decatur annexation.

Just one more piece of the puzzle.

P.S. Anyone know what the heck “Debt Service” is?