Fulton County residents are up in arms over a proposed property tax increase that could see them shelling out an additional 12% this year. During a recent Board of Commissioners meeting, citizens voiced their concerns, with some claiming the county leadership is dismissive of the financial burdens on average families. Devin Barrington-Ward, a local resident, captured the sentiment, saying, "Our commissioners are not listening to what the residents in Fulton County are saying, which is that we don’t have the money to subsidize millionaires and billionaires who are getting tax breaks from the county, who are getting sweetheart deals," as reported by FOX 5 Atlanta.
Additionally, concerns about what residents are receiving in return for their taxes were echoed by Sandy Springs City Councilwoman Jody Reichel. In a statement obtained by 11Alive, she expressed her frustration stating, “I have rental properties, and I’ve kept my rents low, below market rate for many years. I have tenants who have lived in my houses for over 15 years, and I haven’t raised their rent. I want to keep my tenants in their houses. If the taxes keep going up, I’m not going to be able to do that, and then they’re not going to have a place to live." Rising costs without apparent improvements to infrastructure, have left many questioning the stewardship of their tax dollars.
County officials, however, argue that the hike is needed to bridge a significant budget shortfall. Usha Rackliffe, an accounting professor at Emory University's Goizueta Business School, explained to 11Alive that Fulton County faces a $75 million deficit. She highlighted the rise in property values by nearly 6% in Fulton and outlined the essential services the increased tax revenue would support. "For a county, property tax revenue is the single biggest source of revenue," Rackliffe said. "This is why it covers the deficit for the county, and it takes care of services for people who live in the county. The question to ask yourself is, would you rather pay more and have the county provide services to all the people in the county who need it? That, I think, is the challenge and the tension, wanting to make sure the people in the county are covered and taken care of while at the same time having to pitch in a little more.”
Despite the two previous increases, the Fulton County Board of Commissioners is not yet settled on the decision. They plan to hold another public hearing on August 6, giving residents one more chance to have their say before a vote is cast. Johns Creek Mayor John Bradberry, whose city boasts the lowest millage rate in the county, suggests that the tax increase should be a measure of last resort, especially considering current economic strains. "That's a huge increase and a big burden on the residents of our communities," Bradberry told 11Alive. "For someone who's very well off, maybe it's not that big of a deal. But for the working poor or the people who are more middle income, they've got a lot of expenses, and everything is costing more."
There’s a palpable tension between the officials' rationale and the lived experience of local taxpayers. While the county grapples with fiscal challenges, homeowners like Jamie Parrish question the commission's financial realism. "Fulton County commissioners think money grows on trees and that people can afford this," Parrish said in a conversation with 11Alive.
