Roswell council advances 4.949 millage first reading, authorizes DDA bonds and Hill Street land closing to fund downtown parking deck

The Roswell mayor and city council on Sept. 8 approved the first reading of a millage ordinance that sets a combined tax rate of 4.949 mills for tax year 2025, authorized the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) to issue revenue bonds of up to $25,000,000 for a planned Hill Street parking deck, and authorized city staff to close on the Hill Street land-exchange agreement that is a key step toward the project.

The actions, taken during a regularly scheduled council meeting, were unanimous where recorded. Chief Financial Officer Bill Gottschall, who presented the millage ordinance, said, "the property tax rate will not increase in 2025." The first reading of the ordinance passed 6-0; the council scheduled a required public hearing Sept. 15 at 6 p.m. and a second reading and adoption for Sept. 22.

Why it matters: the millage sets how much Roswell collects from property owners for operations and debt service; the DDA bond authorization and land-exchange closing together enable a public-private redevelopment in downtown Roswell that officials say will add parking, support mixed-use development and generate long-term revenue to offset debt service.

Most important facts

- Millage ordinance: The combined 4.949 mill rate is split into a 4.049 mills maintenance and operations component and 0.900 mills for debt service. City staff used a sample calculation showing a homeowner of a $550,000 fair-market-value property (40% assessed value = $220,000) would pay about $1,088 in city property taxes before exemptions; about $198 of that would fund debt service for the bond program.

- DDA revenue bonds: Assistant City Attorney Joseph Cusack presented a resolution approving…