Brookhaven’s long-running streak of holding the line on property taxes may be about to end, and homeowners are not exactly lining up to celebrate. City leaders are weighing the first property tax increase since 2015, a move that would raise the maintenance-and-operations millage and add roughly $395 a year to the bill for an $800,000 home with a homestead exemption. A packed public hearing this week turned into a sustained back-and-forth between residents pushing for cuts and officials arguing the change is needed to handle revenue pressure from successful commercial property appeals. The proposal has reopened a bigger conversation about Brookhaven’s tax structure, exemptions and long-term financial footing.
How Much Would Your Bill Go Up?
According to the City of Brookhaven's millage notice, the council is proposing a 3.85 mill maintenance-and-operations rate, up from the 2.74 mills that have been in place since 2015. By the city’s math, that shift would add about $394.56 to the annual tax bill on an $800,000 homesteaded property. The city’s property tax digest and levy history show the change works out to roughly a 1.233 mill increase over the rollback rate and would generate millions in additional M&O revenue for FY2026. The millage notice lays out sample impacts for both homeowners and non-homestead commercial properties.
Residents Push Back At Public Hearing
Dozens of residents turned out to denounce the proposal, urging the council to trim spending and streamline operations instead of raising rates. Deputy City Manager Steve Chapman told councilmembers the increase is designed to cushion a budget shortfall tied to a surge of commercial property appeals and reassessments, and he pointed out that Brookhaven would still sit below unincorporated DeKalb on overall levies. Former Mayor J. Max Davis told the meeting the city should “look at downsizing the number of full-time employees” before turning to higher taxes, according to 95.5 WSB.
Budget Pressures Behind The Move
City budget documents show Brookhaven adopted a $42.7 million FY2026 general fund budget in November 2025 and that maintenance-and-operations costs have climbed amid higher service and facility expenses. The city’s materials also highlight the growing share of residential market value shielded by homestead exemptions, which limits what Brookhaven can collect even as assessed values rise. The city’s tax digest and levy history lays out the city’s case that building in an allowance for commercial appeals is necessary to avoid an end-of-year shortfall.
Next Steps And Hearing Dates
Under Georgia law, the city must hold three public hearings before adopting a millage higher than the rollback rate, and Brookhaven has lined up a June schedule with a final vote on June 23. Rough Draft Atlanta reported the hearings will take place June 9 at 6:30 p.m. and June 23 at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. at City Centre, 4001 Peachtree Road NE, where the council will take public comment. If councilmembers approve the increase, it will show up on tax bills later this year.
For now, the council is staring at a straightforward but politically touchy decision: preserve current services with new revenue or tighten operations to avoid adding more cost to homeowners’ tax bills. The June hearings are where Brookhaven residents can make their case. Coverage will be updated after the council’s June 23 vote and when the county tax digest is finalized.
