[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6519991,"mediaKeyId","5340716-821160212128031aca9fca0d3ee086c3","parentId",5340716,"title","Fulton County hears hours of public opposition to proposed property-tax increase as debate over Westside TAD intensifies","audioSeconds",14811,"startMs",2405000,"endMs",17216000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5340716-821160212128031aca9fca0d3ee086c3&start=2405&end=17216","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5340716-821160212128031aca9fca0d3ee086c3/thumbnail_2405000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6519991/Fulton-County/Georgia/Fulton-County-hears-hours-of-public-opposition-to-proposed-property-tax-increase-as-debate-over-Westside-TAD-intensifies","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6519991-72f978c4774daf93e8777174fb15a3dc/orig.mp4?Expires=1771193965&Signature=A~vcIo2FGqSfkQGpW5OloZUxzSBXxUNeanIM2OSfnztRSB7vJt3C0cqht0T9k5Jp0zEWI9wGdRC46hl~79gDBgtRJu7LgEWnWb9hE~Atj2wJ7zq7NwV3hswU6V6UFTY0lrlN~9ON--zgUjDbRQeIBdBOTJ85sFNAxobKVpw38xwtP~zt4X3R3J9djcIm9FL2arhIofLi~l-qka-2YwcQKEyBLTTd8ClKed477cPPFqiNBh3ZK5l6U45ITEYsvuZ7PPQoHneze76IPlGAzFAORsQTWNfoAy2axS2E6HJkdaugsdvQFvrqoLJtA048sSJ5Nn5gR38KvRTu~Suu70sUtQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Fulton County Georgia ","date","2025-07-09T22:14:18Z","article","Hundreds of Fulton County residents crowded the July 9 meeting of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners to oppose a proposed increase in the county's property tax rate and to press commissioners to protect affordable housing programs in the Westside Tax Allocation District (TAD).

Speakers told Chairman Rob Pitts and the six commissioners that an advertised increase from 8.87 to 9.87 mills\u0000a0(what county staff said would be a 12.49% increase on present rates if adopted) would force seniors and working families from their homes and deepen affordability problems already visible across the county.

The argument recurred across dozens of public commenters: keeping the county's budget solvent should not fall disproportionately on homeowners and renters. Jody Reishel, a Sandy Springs city councilor and property owner in Fulton County, told the panel the change \"is a difference between stability and displacement\" for many tenants. Jamie Parish, another speaker, said the increase would hit seniors on fixed incomes and small-business landlords who currently keep rents low.

Mayor John Bradberry of Johns Creek told commissioners \"do we need to tighten up?\" and urged fiscal restraint while acknowledging county service needs. Other municipal and nonprofit speakers urged the board to seek savings and to pressure large commercial property owners who, they said, were underassessed and receiving tax advantages.

Many comments also focused on the Westside TAD, the long-running tax-increment finance tool used to direct development dollars into Atlanta's Westside neighborhoods. Speakers including Eloisa Clementis of Invest Atlanta, Quest Community Development's Leonard Adams, and multiple neighborhood leaders described how the TAD has funded affordable housing and catalytic investments while opponents argued that some projects have accelerated gentrification and raised property values faster than subsidized housing was produced.

Vice Chairman Bob Ellis and Commissioner Khadijah Abdul Rahman co-sponsored a resolution on the July 9 agenda to decline participation in new Westside TAD projects and to direct the tax commissioner to cease future remittances to the Atlanta Development Authority for new Westside TAD projects. After extended discussion and requests for additional financial and legal analysis, the board voted unanimously to hold the resolution so staff and Invest Atlanta could prepare follow-up information and negotiation options.

Commissioners emphasized this was a procedural step, not a final decision to leave the TAD. City of Atlanta representatives and Invest Atlanta officials told the board they were open to negotiations such as pilot payments or other arrangements that could protect county revenue while preserving funding for affordable housing projects. Invest Atlanta staff said the TAD has supported hundreds of projects and thousands of housing units over its lifetime; county officials asked for detailed, audited documentation of outstanding bond obligations and available cash before acting.

On the millage question, county officials said the July 9 meeting included an open public hearing (item 25-05-11) but that a final decision on a tax rate would come at a later meeting after a midyear budget review and other numbers were available. Several commissioners said the advertised ceiling gave the county flexibility to respond if cost pressures and court-ordered obligations for the jail require additional revenue; others warned any increase must be modest and targeted.

The meeting underscored a policy tension facing the board: balancing urgent operating and court-mandated needs, the capital demands of county facilities and infrastructure, and the political and social consequences of higher property taxes for long-time residents.

Votes at a glance: the board did not adopt a final millage rate on July 9. The meeting included multiple other formal votes (see separate \"Votes at a glance\" article for a full list of outcomes recorded during the session).","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Fulton County Board of Commissioners Meetings July 9, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Hundreds of Fulton County residents crowded the July 9 meeting of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners to oppose a proposed increase in the county's property tax rate and to press commissioners to protect affordable housing programs in the Westside Tax Allocation District (TAD).","taxTitle","Fulton County, Georgia","taxId",2952,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6519977,"Votes at a glance: key outcomes from the July 9 Fulton County commission meeting",22751,815000,23566000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5340716-821160212128031aca9fca0d3ee086c3&start=815&end=23566","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5340716-821160212128031aca9fca0d3ee086c3/thumbnail_815000.jpg","/articles/6519977/Fulton-County/Georgia/Votes-at-a-glance-key-outcomes-from-the-July-9-Fulton-County-commission-meeting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6519977-d229864d3134c6413751ce17371639c3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771193965&Signature=d49YA-LnM5GRUWCHhzqf42aFl5PKVPjXmKuXTh9U16ooncl6Mb8HBUO9JXjXMrLLgcQ1cNYVJPjY-VUylRCg1P4rPBdtcbtTQDPmzfxdZDQhay3hXBvyAlt4Y90q~nAyOEZHbBxdjZ~FxuHe03LGDa~U-tGXBCbVgcARiWNG3wqhriYi1cY-f~xqWJ00Rq8FTls7~fdeliC-pEnICvo1q~BN7fDtPFvAoDx9ZOBtGSl-2BeGwadU1diHVdNBcEvV~aXsH-mmJRLs~naJzLeQbdkb2XTYXhGNK192itCRTHXjlnmudSeC1RCVpUrStTHPwFIL84PPEI4951ZyOw7rHQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","This summary lists formal votes recorded during the Fulton County Board of Commissioners meeting on July 9, 2025. The entries below are drawn from the meeting transcript and the clerk's open-session roll calls.

- Consent agenda adoption (agenda item 25-04-88): Motion to adopt passed 6 yays, 0 nays.
- Adoption of first regular meeting agenda as amended (25-05-06): Motion passed 6 yays, 0 nays.
- Ratification of minutes (06/04 and 06/18): Motion passed 6 yays, 0 nays.
- Manufacturer distilled spirits license for LG Drinks LLC d/b/a Krispy Kool (3700 Wendell Drive): Motion to approve passed 6 yays, 0 nays (public hearing held and closed prior to vote).
- Public hearing opened on fiscal year 2025 general fund millage rate (25-05-11): Public hearing held; no final adoption recorded.
- Executive session items: multiple approvals taken in open session after executive session (request for representation, tax refunds for specified parcels, contracts): votes recorded as unanimously approved where noted (5 or 6 yays as listed in transcript for each item; see minutes for line-by-line record).
- Formal disciplinary action (25-05-13): Board affirmed a prior decorum violation against Commissioner Marvin Arrington Jr. (affirmation vote 5-0) and imposed a public reprimand and $500 fine (vote 5-0).
- Facilities/procurement highlights (not exhaustive; see full minutes for full list):
- Escalator removal and disposal / replacement not-to-exceed $1,700,000: approved (5 yays, 1 nay).
- HVAC chiller replacement not-to-exceed $1,929,310: approved (6-0).
- Standby fencing spending increase (not-to-exceed $200,000): approved (6-0).
- Generator system maintenance increase (not-to-exceed $28,287): approved (6-0).
- Multiple statewide contracts for telecommunications, IT, maintenance and fleet services: approved (most votes unanimous; see minutes for itemized roll calls).
- Water/sewer rate public-notification authorization (25-05-31): Motion authorizing Public Works to publish required notices and hold hearings on a proposed 5% water and sewer rate increase: passed unanimously.
- Contracts and procurement close-outs, vendor extensions and routine purchases: multiple motions passed mostly unanimously; detailed roll-call tallies and contract numbers are recorded in the official minutes and procurement documents.

If reporters or members of the public need the verbatim roll-call tally for any specific agenda item, the clerk's office minutes provide the formal record. This summary is intended for quick reference and does not replace the official minutes and attached procurement documents.","A consolidated list of formal motions and roll-call outcomes recorded during the July 9 Fulton County Board of Commissioners meeting, including routine procurements, contract approvals, and disciplinary actions.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6519982,"Board authorizes public notice for 5% water and sewer rate hike and approves multiple procurement and contract actions",1504,12368000,13872000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5340716-821160212128031aca9fca0d3ee086c3&start=12368&end=13872","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5340716-821160212128031aca9fca0d3ee086c3/thumbnail_12368000.jpg","/articles/6519982/Fulton-County/Georgia/Board-authorizes-public-notice-for-5-water-and-sewer-rate-hike-and-approves-multiple-procurement-and-contract-actions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6519982-6de2ea3d0104021fe9bc7e775444e146/orig.mp4?Expires=1771193965&Signature=e-qoheWgdyNOCyVvuvZ2FUOhjWQOtH7Xu6mjn-v9TuLRpUoQXqZLk9o5R5SsWflZ1BH6Br31Ga4SppXVOkDMLJ5dhvD4tQJpIfmWF9iD~kOKQyM9atvLlGjarDwBG46p1aHBkQePTu8kYu8C-N~BNTKQ~UghBu~s8ogmpFUkWyKhiDtp8jwOIjkIL~vtGJJXQtYCcStRh4LICcXK0QuqrKJs3oKMJpTy6zLAqbgNY0KaGV~MIK6Fr5~qheCizXHlegijuWlBQ9WBW0tobHbMHkNIbZWYnR-SIgzZsRPw4g03Clw9NAYxfyKVLBVrGriaSt8mAvm9iJVRHSo2oIZcUQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Fulton County Board of Commissioners on July 9 authorized Public Works staff to provide notice and hold two public hearings (one north, one south) in advance of considering a 5% annual water and sewer rate increase for the next two years.

County staff told the board the last major utility rate study dated to 2017 and that operating costs and capital needs have grown. The county's utility officials said a 5% increase would allow the water and sewer fund to cover operating cost growth (roughly 4% annually in staff estimates), finance about $40 million a year of capital projects on a pay-as-you-go basis, and prepare the county to take smaller bond issues in 2027 and 2029 to support expansion of Camp Creek wastewater treatment capacity. Commissioners voted unanimously to authorize the required public notification and hearings; no final rate was adopted on July 9.

Separately, the board approved a series of procurement and contract actions on July 9, many by unanimous votes. Highlights recorded in open session included:

- Approval to use corporate repurchasing up to $1,700,000 to remove and dispose existing escalators and install replacements or modifications (motion recorded 5-1). Commissioner Dana Barrett voiced concern about timing and cost during debate; the motion passed with one dissenting vote.

- Approval to replace HVAC chiller number 3 with a not-to-exceed amount of $1,929,310 (unanimous).

- Approval to extend a vendor contract for Fulton County flow-monitoring equipment ($566,873) and other wastewater-related agreements; commissioners said they would follow up on a canceled North Fulton wastewater RFP and options for a supplemental question or attorney general opinion as needed.

- Approval of the county's contract increase with Grady Health for operation and management of the Fulton County Behavioral Health Crisis Center, increasing the contract by approximately $3 million to allow Grady to staff the center at full capacity (motion passed unanimously).

- Multiple procurement approvals for routine facilities, fleet and IT services, including statewide contract awards for telecommunications, fleet tire services and facility maintenance, plus smaller contract close-outs for janitorial services. Several emergency, maintenance and modular furniture purchases were also approved.

Board members said they would publish hearing dates for the water/sewer rate process and invited commissioners to help publicize the workshops. Staff said they expect to hold public hearings in late July or early August and return to the board with a formal recommendation after that outreach.

The actions reflect a mix of routine facilities upkeep and strategic utility planning; commissioners pressed staff on timing, market pricing risks and alternatives where possible.","The Fulton County commission authorized public works to hold hearings on a possible 5% water and sewer rate increase and approved several procurement and contract measures, including repair contracts and increases to behavioral health services.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6519986,"Fulton County commissioners reprimand Marvin Arrington Jr., fine him $500 for decorum violation",114,19642000,19756000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5340716-821160212128031aca9fca0d3ee086c3&start=19642&end=19756","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5340716-821160212128031aca9fca0d3ee086c3/thumbnail_19642000.jpg","/articles/6519986/Fulton-County/Georgia/Fulton-County-commissioners-reprimand-Marvin-Arrington-Jr-fine-him-500-for-decorum-violation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6519986-c3f1287b226a5fab4a44c92f8c4c594d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771193965&Signature=U6BId7fpCr3fNif~eTF1aHQkvhtgEQ15~Uh7FGnC1CdLZzodJG049idGxosbPJVW3wQSjcFK47KT50pZuFMOXA743x4PgdBMDUvcDWsZNjCfkP6o0xQe7f~urdNuTIl-ItzQGRp83z2pi94a7~EiPg3q7lhmHPcD6P6S7opdTGXjp1mkiZHxPt6ExklGpqCh3wx1yOZSVtxZhTVKHGaSlHbGW2Je0tybJwq1-qZKMlQG7ZbiSLF3OhIb1gISPIvVKARW0VH88Vs9gyZiIvvP~GARZK9vwxjwy9eoqQL~~b6XAuhMpMpnrIbDQAXdtqf9oqVbDNev5~CtZjuEgvtGrQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Fulton County Board of Commissioners formally affirmed a prior finding that Commissioner Marvin Arrington Jr. violated the county's rules of decorum and imposed a public reprimand and a $500 fine on July 9.

At the start of the business portion of the July 9 meeting, the board held the follow-up hearing required by the county code after it had voted in an earlier session to find a violation. Commissioner Arrington apologized at the July 9 hearing for using a profanity at a previous meeting and said he believed other board members had interrupted him in violation of procedure.

The board first voted to affirm the earlier determination of a rules violation (motion to affirm passed 5-0). The commission then voted to impose a public reprimand and a $500 fine (motion passed 5-0). The record shows the votes were taken with five commissioners in favor and none opposed; minutes record the outcome as a formal disciplinary action under Fulton County Code section 101-68.

Commissioner Arrington spoke during the hearing and reiterated his apology, saying he regretted the word he used but urging the commission to consider mutual interruptions during the exchange. The county attorney explained the hearing process and the board proceeded under the procedures established in county code.

The action closes the disciplinary process the board began after the earlier meeting where the decorum breach occurred; the decision and the fine were announced in open session on July 9.","After a May finding of decorum violations, the Fulton County Board of Commissioners gave Commissioner Marvin Arrington Jr. a public reprimand and assessed a $500 fine at its July 9 meeting.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Fulton County hears hours of public opposition to proposed property-tax increase as debate over Westside TAD intensifies

Votes at a glance: key outcomes from the July 9 Fulton County commission meeting

Board authorizes public notice for 5% water and sewer rate hike and approves multiple procurement and contract actions

Fulton County commissioners reprimand Marvin Arrington Jr., fine him $500 for decorum violation