Roswell council keeps millage rate at 4.949 mills; officials and residents debate revenue impact

The City of Roswell Mayor and City Council on Monday adopted an ordinance setting the property tax millage at 4.949 mills for tax year 2025 in a 6-0 vote during the meeting’s second reading.

The ordinance keeps the city’s millage rate unchanged from 2024 — comprised of 4.049 mills for maintenance and operations and 0.900 mills for debt service — while Fulton County’s rising assessments mean the city will collect additional property-tax revenue. City Chief Financial Officer Bill Godshall told the council staff’s estimate of the net additional revenue is approximately $2,100,000; the city’s published advertisement used a different state-mandated formula that had a higher figure.

Why it matters: though the rate is unchanged, officials and residents agreed the effect is an increase in taxes collected because assessed property values rose. Speakers urged clarity about how the extra revenue will be used and pressed the council to present a full budget before finalizing spending choices.

City staff explained the millage components and timing. Godshall said the rate’s maintenance-and-operations portion funds core services such as parks, public safety, recreation and transportation; the debt-service portion repays voter-approved bonds. He illustrated the calculation by example: for a house with a $550,000 fair-market value (a $220,000 assessed value at Roswell’s 40% assessment ratio), the city portion of property tax under 4.949 mills would be about $10.89. Godshall also said the city’s total digest increased roughly 2.9% year over year, rising from about $9.099 billion to $9.367 billion for the period discussed.

During public comment, four residents questioned the timing and fiscal effect of keeping the millage flat. George Crumley asked whether the additional revenue was necessary; Godshall corrected widely cited figures and provided the net $2.1 million estimate. William Powell and other speakers pressed whether the city had an approved budget before setting the millage and whether keeping the rate in an election year carried adverse optics. Daryl O’Hare urged council to consider a rollback to avoid what he described as an effective tax increase.

Mayor Curt Wilson and senior staff responded that state law and Fulton County’s assessment schedule require the council to set a millage rate by this point in the calendar and that the tax revenues in question are being applied to the 2025 fiscal year. Wilson said, “If you keep the property tax rate the same, it is a tax increase. Yes,” and recommended residents review the upcoming budget workshop. CFO Godshall, City Administrator Randy Knighton, and City Attorney Joe Cusack explained that the timing flows from county and state processes for assessments and advertising.

Council members outlined spending pressures and priorities. Council Member David Johnson noted the city increased road-resurfacing funding to about $4.2 million and cited an estimated $12 million-per-year need to raise the overall pavement condition index to target levels. Mayor Wilson described investments in public safety and pay increases for city employees; he also said the council is pursuing economic development to broaden the tax base and ultimately reduce reliance on residential property taxes.

Next steps: staff will present budget materials at a city budget workshop on Oct. 1 at East Roswell Park (all-day), followed by additional public hearings and readings before budget adoption. The ordinance was moved by Council Member Alan Sells and seconded by Council Member Christine Hall; the vote was 6-0 in favor.

Votes at a glance: Ordinance to adopt a millage rate of 4.949 for tax year 2025 — approved, 6-0.