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Athens-Clarke County commissioners spar over FY2026 budget, special-events funding and proposed surveillance center
Summary
Commissioners debated competing FY2026 budget proposals that differ on use of T-SPLOST interest, a proposed millage rollback, and funding for a Real Time Crime Center; public commenters urged larger event support and warned against expanded surveillance.
Athens-Clarke County commissioners spent more than two hours debating competing FY2026 budget proposals — one led by Commissioner Lisa Myers and a rival package introduced by Commissioner Aaron Hamby — with sharp disagreement over whether to use T-SPLOST interest to reduce the millage rate and how much to fund a proposed Real Time Crime Center (RTCC).
The public hearing on the budget drew long public comment. Event organizers and downtown business owners urged the commission to increase Community Enhancements Project (CEP) support for special events, saying those festivals drive tourism and economic impact. At the same time, multiple speakers — residents, civil‑liberties advocates and criminal‑justice professionals — urged the commission not to fund the RTCC, citing concerns about facial-recognition bias, cross‑jurisdictional data sharing and potential access by federal agencies.
Why it matters: The budget sets staffing, capital projects and tax policy for the coming fiscal year and includes choices that affect long-running T‑SPLOST projects, affordable housing allocations and public‑safety investments. How the commission balances one‑time interest income against…
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