Austell Proposes 106% Property Tax Increase

AUSTELL — City officials have proposed a monumental 106% property tax increase for 2024. The Austell City Council is set to vote on its 2024 millage rate after a final public hearing Monday evening.

Austell Mayor Ollie Clemons Jr. has proposed nearly doubling Austell’s general fund millage rate from 3.25 mills to 6.25 mills. The city has had the same millage rate, which determines how much homeowners pay in property taxes, for the last 20 years.

The tax hike would double the city’s property tax revenue. Last year, Austell collected $1.36 million in general fund property taxes. The new millage rate, combined with growth in the tax digest due to reassessments, would collect $2.8 million.

The proposed tax increase for a home with a fair market value of $277,360 is approximately $348.81, according to the city.

Clemons said the topic of the millage rate has been “kicked down the road” for years now, and explained at some point, the issue needed to be addressed.

When asked why he decided to nearly double the millage rate, Clemons told the MDJ, “It is what it is.”

“It sounds extreme, but when you’re dealing with 3.250 (mills), you’re in the dirt already,” Clemons said. “So it sounds like you went somewhere, but you didn’t go anywhere other than 3.250.”

Clemons said if council approves the rate, Austell’s millage will still be lower than other Cobb County cities. Powder Springs has a general fund rate of 9.5 mills, Smyrna’s is 8.99 mills and Acworth’s is 8.95 mills. Kennesaw has a combined general fund and bond millage rate of 9.25 mills. If the Austell increase is approved, its rate will be higher than Marietta’s combined millage rate of 4.692 mills. Mableton is the only Cobb city that does not levy a millage rate.

With a population of about 8,000, Austell is Cobb’s smallest city.

Under Georgia law, rising property value assessments not accompanied by a corresponding millage rate “rollback” that offsets the increase in tax due are considered tax increases and must be advertised as such. In order to collect the same amount of property tax as last year, the city would need to roll back the millage rate to 3.106 mills.

In addition to Clemons, council members Marlin Lamar and Meredith Adams were the only council members present during Monday’s millage rate hearing. Many citizens took note of the other council members’ absence in their public comments, questioning why their elected officials were not present to listen to them.

According to Clemons, council members are only required to be present during the official adoption of the millage rate.

Both Lamar and Adams declined to comment on whether they support or oppose the millage rate increase.

Councilwoman Sandra Leverette could not be reached for comment.

Councilman Devon Myrick told the MDJ he was supportive of the tax increase, saying it was the “best decision to make.

“We have in the past kept the citizens from having to pay by taking on a lot of these costs,” Myrick said. “There was no other way to pay other than putting the cost on citizens.”

With this property tax increase, Denise Lowe, the city’s finance director, said the city has decided to make “significant investments” in public safety like police and fire.

Over the past two years, the city has increased its police budget by over $900,000 and its fire budget by over $800,000, Lowe said. According to her, investments in these departments are to help keep them “beefier and better.”

Lowe told the MDJ the investments are necessary to keep these departments “above water” and competing with other jurisdictions. During the meeting, Clemons commented on this point.

“(Citizens) are not having to pay that. That is an absolute savings on (their) part, but (they) still get the protection of the fire service,” Clemons said. “Public safety has been needing staffing, technological advances and infrastructures put in place, and we have not done anything relative to that for years,” Clemons said. “So yes, those costs, they are what they are. It’s catch-up to try and get them where they need to be.”

During public comments, residents questioned whether officials considered other options outside of raising property taxes.

“I’m OK with raising taxes as long as it makes sense,” said Austell resident Tim Adams.

Sara Parker, an Austell resident of 55 years, said her home is one she can no longer afford.

“Everything has gone up. (My house) was a house we could afford back in ‘69 and I just can’t,” Parker said.

Clemons responded by saying the finance team proposed other options, but raising property taxes was the only way to keep the city sustainable in the future, saying there “aren’t any other options.

“It is just part of it. We would not be able to continue to exist if we don’t have continued growth in some shape, some fashion, some form,” Clemons said. “Unfortunately, we do not have any extra moneys to come in that will take over that burden that the property tax rate will bring about.”

Many in attendance argued the property tax increase is ill-timed since prices at grocery stores and gas stations have risen significantly.

Lowe argued that if taxes do not go up, then the city will be forced to cut back on services like street cleaning, road treatment and special events.

The Austell City Council is scheduled to vote on the 2024 millage rate July 22 at 6 p.m. at the Threadmill Complex Council Chambers at 5000 Austell-Powder Springs Road, Suite 175.

Public comment will be heard prior to the adoption. Those interested in speaking are encouraged to contact Austell City Clerk Elizabeth Young at clerk@austellga.gov.