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Fulton County CFO unveils FY2026 budget; commissioners debate millage assumptions and consent‑order overlay
Summary
The county presented a FY2026 proposed general fund budget with $996M in revenue and $1.053B in expenditures, projecting a $176M ending fund balance. Staff assumed keeping an 8.87 millage base and a 0.39‑mill overlay to cover consent‑order costs; several commissioners objected to 'massaging' departmental budgets to fit a flat millage and demanded clearer 'needed' baseline figures.
Fulton County finance staff presented a proposed FY2026 general fund budget on Nov. 19 that would set revenues at approximately $996 million and appropriate roughly $1.053 billion, producing a projected ending fund balance of about $176 million (meeting the board’s 16.67% reserve guideline).
CFO Sharon (presentation) said the proposal assumes a flat base millage of 8.87 mills to cover continuing operations and a separate 0.39‑mill overlay dedicated to items tied to the sheriff consent order and related compliance costs. "We tried to balance the operational budget to an 8.87 millage rate and identify an incremental overlay of roughly 0.39 mills for consent‑order items," the CFO told commissioners.
Key budget details in staff’s proposal include: - A countywide cost‑of‑living adjustment for employees estimated at 3.4–5% (about $12.5 million set aside). - Funding to continue justice and behavioral health programs, including $2.5 million for the diversion center, $2.9 million for school‑based therapy, and $1.3 million for emerging adult reentry and supportive housing. - A $10 million set‑aside for jail construction costs and continued contributions to Grady Hospital operational support and debt service tied to the planned freestanding emergency department. - Election cycle funding of $27 million (aligned to prior year actuals).
Several commissioners raised procedural and transparency objections. Commissioner Marvin Arrington said the presentation should show an unvarnished budget (what departments actually requested and what it would cost to deliver services) rather than a version "massaged" to fit a politically desirable millage. "You can't say the millage rate is flat at 8.87 and simultaneously call a 0.39 mill for consent order items 'separate' — all of this flows into the single millage rate voters will see," he said.
Commissioner Mo Ivory said he could not yet support the budget because department detail and a digital budget book were not available in time for commissioner review; he requested additional time to digest materials before taking a final vote. Other commissioners urged staff to return with clearer breakdowns of consent‑order needs and a timeline to present dollar estimates in time for January budget decisions.
County staff said they will hold legally required public hearings in December and return with additional budget sessions, updated fact sheets and answers to commissioners’ requests. The budget as presented now is staff’s recommendation and still requires formal adoption at a subsequent meeting.
