East Point presents balanced FY26 budget without tax increases; adopts infrastructure and public-safety investments

City Manager Wayne Jones presented a balanced fiscal 2026 budget to the East Point City Council on May 12, laying out more than $247 million in all-funds spending and a $70 million general fund without a proposed tax or millage increase.

The recommended budget keeps the general fund structurally balanced, Jones said, and “does not go into our reserves to balance.” It funds public-safety equipment including police vehicles and fire apparatus, proposes a multi-year public-safety drone program, and increases planned spending for parks, water and electric infrastructure.

Why it matters: The draft budget directs investments in services and capital projects that city leaders have prioritized—public safety, infrastructure maintenance, neighborhood revitalization and employee compensation—while emphasizing a commitment not to raise property taxes. At the same time several enterprise funds, notably water/sewer and solid waste, are running structural deficits that council members said will require policy decisions or subsidies.

Most important facts: Jones and interim finance staff presented a budget that totals about $247,000,000 across all funds, with the general fund at approximately $70,000,000. Major capital figures included about $15.5 million for sidewalks and…