Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Athens-Clarke County holds second public hearing on proposed FY26 budget as commissioners debate competing plans
Summary
Commissioners heard public comments and compared two commission-developed budget proposals that differ on millage, housing and capital funding; no final budget vote was taken. Commissioners asked staff for more data on SPLOST/T-SPLOST projects, solid-waste costs and ARPA spending timelines ahead of a scheduled vote next week.
Athens-Clarke County Commissioners held a second public hearing on the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget on June 5, focusing on two competing commission-developed options that differ on millage rate changes, affordable-housing funding and use of SPLOST/T-SPLOST interest. Members heard three public commenters and several department and staff briefings before scheduling a final budget vote for the commission's next meeting.
The hearing matters because the commission must adopt a FY26 budget that funds public safety, courts, libraries, solid waste and capital maintenance while complying with the state "Taxpayer Bill of Rights" requirement for local budget hearings. Commissioners exchanged numbers and priorities on affordable housing, courthouse security, the sheriff's equity adjustment and maintenance projects; staff will confirm several line-item figures before a final vote.
Commissioner Myers presented a CDO (commission-developed option) that includes a 0.1 mill increase intended largely to fund the affordable-housing transfer and a set of public-safety and court-related items. Myers listed specific line items that he said came…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
