Athens-Clarke County Unified Government (ACCGov) is set to get down to brass tacks on the Fiscal Year 2026 budget. The ACCGov has put forward a balanced budget of $201.6 million for the upcoming fiscal year, starting July 1, 2025. This figure falls $2 million shy of the previous year's budget but maintains the property tax millage rate at 12.45. As reported on ACCGov's official website, residents can breathe a sigh of relief with no increase in this rate.
By April 30, the annual routine sees the Mayor's Recommended Budget handed off to the Commission for deliberation. Adding to the predictable fiscal forecast, employee compensation is slated for a boost, with ACCGov front-lining a 3% pay table increase for most employees and a special 4% market rise for those in non-public safety roles, as per the Unified Plan. In a bid to keep its talent competitive, the budget also includes structured pay hikes for public safety personnel.
Not one to rock the boat on employee benefits contributions, ACCGov has held these steady for the third consecutive year. An interesting tidbit: for the first time in a while, the General Fund wasn't tapped to cover the active employee health care costs. Instead, the budget shows a modest General Fund augmentation by approximately $377,000 solely for pension funding.
Eyeing improvements across the board, ACCGov is chalking up dollars to refine its operations. The Mayor's Recommended Budget earmarks additional funds for IT security and Public Utilities staffing, among other enhancements. Public safety isn't left by the wayside either—an extra Crime Analyst and three fulltime firefighters, ordained to man ladder trucks to national standards, populate the budget lines. As confirmed on the official ACCGov website, the Sheriff's Office is also due for a funding uptick to cover medical services for inmates.
A series of budget-related meetings are queued up, offering the public a chance to peek behind the fiscal curtain. These gatherings, running through May and into early June, will be open for live online streaming and signal a space for public input. On June 3, the Commission is scheduled to adopt the budget, putting the final stitches on Athens-Clarke County's financial fabric for the year ahead.
Information about upcoming meetings and the budget document itself can be reviewed online, alongside provisions for public inspection at local physical locations, including the Athens-Clarke County Library and City Hall. Legal notices and public hearing dates related to the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, delayed due to processing of tax digest figures after recent legislative changes, are to be announced concurrent with the budget's passage.
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