A $5 million increase in tax revenue from new construction in the City of Decatur over the past year wasn’t enough to offset a $9 million decline due to reassessments, according to a letter to the city commission from Assistant City Manager Andrea Arnold (pages 45-46).

Declines were also prevalent across personal property (-14.5%), public utilities (-29%) and motor vehicle values (-8%), though these digests made up only 6% of the total tax digest, resulting in an overall -1.7% decline.

Even with an overall decline in revenue, Arnold is recommending the commission hold the millage rate at last year’s level.

However, Arnold does note that the city commission could technically raise the millage rate slightly from 13.035 to 13.142 mills without being required to advertise it under Georgia’s “Truth in Taxation” legislation because the declines in the overall digest mentioned above would off-set the millage increase, resulting in an overall “decline” in taxes.

Regardless, Arnold recommends two public hearing dates for the budget:  Monday June 7th and June 21st.  She also notes that the city will solicit feedback on the Open City Hall website.

The city commission is tentatively scheduled to adopt the millage rate at tonight’s meeting: 7:30p at City Hall.