The Peachtree City council on Aug. 4 is expected to adopt the FY 2017 general fund budget totaling $33.5 million.
The general fund budget totals $33.526 million. That compares to the $33.519 million budget adopted a year ago. The budget comes with no raises for city employees, 34 percent in reserves and no millage increase.
Based on previous discussions earlier in the year, the budget was supposed to include a .25 millage rate increase. Though no millage rate increase is included, the city is expected to see 4.5 percent growth in the tax digest and, consequently, a resulting increase in the amount of property taxes paid by homeowners. That’s because the value of most properties in the city increased and thus received higher assessments this year.
Although the budget adoption presumes an anticipated millage rate, the council will not adopt any rate until they get notification from Fayette County Tax Commissioner George Wingo what the official county tax digest will be. At that point, the city by law is required to hold three public hearings to explain why they are not rolling back the rate to take in the same amount of revenue as the previous year.
Council members will also consider the findings of an ethics complaint filed by resident and Peachtree City Water and Sewerage Authority board member John Dufresne concerning the way Councilman Mike King conducted a January public hearing.
Hearing officer and Carrollton attorney Thomas Greer determined that Dufresne’s complaint was not filed in a timely manner. Beyond that, Greer said the complaint was unjustified, frivolous and patently unfounded.
The council will also consider the access road and stormwater detention wetland area maintenance agreements affiliated with The Overlook retail area on Ga. Highway 54 West.
