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Savannah adopts 2025 budget, trims proposed alcohol-fee hike and raises city minimum pay
Summary
The Savannah City Council unanimously adopted the 2025 service program and five-year capital plan and approved a revenue ordinance that scales back proposed alcohol-license fee increases after public comment; the budget raises the city minimum to about $18 an hour and doubles seasonal youth work funding.
Savannah’s City Council voted unanimously Dec. 19 to adopt the 2025 service program and five-year capital plan, approving a budget the city manager said keeps the millage rate unchanged while increasing pay for municipal employees.
City Manager (name on record) told the council the budget was balanced and designed to avoid drawing on reserves. “The minimum wage for a city of Savannah employee in this budget will move to about $18 an hour,” the manager said, framing the raise as a step toward reducing poverty-level wages for municipal staff.
The council also approved the 2025 revenue ordinance after the manager proposed adjustments to planned fee increases. The ordinance originally proposed about a 41.6% aggregate increase to alcohol-license-related fees; following outreach from local operators, staff recommended cutting the proposed increases by half. “So the increase that we’re seeking now total, is 20.83% on these fees,” the manager said. Staff projected the adjusted fee table would produce roughly $35,000 in related alcohol-license revenue for 2025.
Small-business owners and hospitality representatives pressed council for relief during the public hearing. Mike Vak, speaking for the Georgia Restaurant Association, said his group “can support what has been proposed by the city manager” and pledged to work with staff on future changes. Local bar owner Tom Worley told council that late notice of large fee hikes made budgeting difficult for small operators. Alex Bender, owner of Hawthorne Mini Bar, urged scaled licensing fees, saying “a flat fee means a small business like mine...is disproportionately affected.”
Council members pressed the manager for additional detail on several line items and grant programs. The manager said the city administers three grant programs for community partners — a competitive community partnership program, a violence-reduction grant, and arts-and-cultural grants — and will provide more information on nonprofit evaluations on request. The proposed budget also includes an expansion of youth seasonal employment programs from roughly $496,000 to about $977,000 in 2025.
Council members praised the budget’s incremental approach. Alderman Palumbo called it “an honest, earnest” plan that addresses departmental needs without raising millage. After discussion, Alderman Palumbo moved adoption of the budget; the motion passed by a voice vote.
What’s next: The revenue ordinance and budget are effective following council approval; staff said it will continue quarterly adjustments through the year and return with more detailed performance and grant documents as requested by council.
