Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Millage Rate topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Chamblee staff proposes 7.25-mill property tax rate, cites budget pressures; no public comment
Summary
City staff presented a proposed 7.25 mill rate for fiscal 2026 — the first increase in more than seven years — saying it would help maintain services amid rising costs; staff estimated an average Chamblee homeowner would pay about $275.66 more annually (roughly $213.90 after the $50,000 homestead exemption). No one spoke during public comment.
City of Chamblee staff proposed a 7.25 mill property tax rate at the final public hearing on the 2026 millage rate, saying the increase — the first millage adjustment in more than seven years — is aimed at preserving the city's current level of services amid rising costs.
A city staff member summarized the legal and fiscal context, saying state law requires the city to adopt its millage rate by July 1 and that, because the proposal does not adopt the rollback rate, state law also requires three public hearings. The presenter said the rollback rate would be 5.872 mills and that the advertised percentage increase over the rollback rate is 23.47%.
"We are proposing a rate of 7.25 mils, which is the 1st millage rate adjustment in over 7 years," the staff member said. The presentation noted that the city maintained a $35,900,000 flat budget for fiscal 2026 but is seeing increased costs and collection challenges, including an estimated roughly 15% lag in collections related to county processes.
City staff provided homeowner-impact estimates: with an average fair market residential value in Chamblee of $525,000, the presenter said the annual tax increase would be about $275.66; accounting for the city's $50,000 homestead exemption, the estimated true impact on a typical homeowner would be about $213.90. The presenter emphasized that these figures exclude DeKalb County school taxes, which make up the majority of most residents' property tax bills.
The moderator then asked whether anyone in the audience wished to speak on the millage rate; no members of the public offered comments during the hearing. The staff presentation noted the deadline to adopt the millage rate under state law is July 1 (citation not specified in the transcript).
