In a special called meeting Thursday, the Flowery Branch City Council gave final approval to the city's Fiscal Year 2019 budget and millage rate.
The council approved the items in a 3-2 vote, with the council members tying and Mayor Mike Miller providing the deciding vote. Councilmen Joe Anglin and Christopher Mundy were the "no" votes, with both saying they wanted to see the millage rate rolled back to account for increased property assessments in the city. The new budget keeps the millage rate flat at 3.264, which is where it has been since 2015.
"There tends to be homes that are going up in value, some are staying stagnant, and the folks that have homes that are going up in value, they're carrying all of your tax burden," Anglin said. "I believe that the millage should be rolled back to 3.078 to provide for that tax relief."
City Finance Director Alisha Gamble said that the average home value in Flowery Branch is now $225,000. She says when factoring in increased tax assessments, the average property owner in the city will pay an additional $16.74 in property taxes.
Councilwoman Amy Farrah, who joined the council meeting via phone, made the motion to approve the budget. Miller said he felt the revenue that increased taxes are expected to bring in would be needed, as the city is adding an officer position and patrol car to the police department, providing a pay raise for city employees and preparing for a major road widening project on Phil Niekro Boulevard and Spout Springs Road. He also said he was disappointed in the citizens' involvement with the budget process.
"When an issue of golf carts comes up we have two or three hundred people start raising cane on Facebook about it, but something as important as a budget, we have two total people that can get serious enough to actually come and participate in it."
The special called meeting was the second public hearing held on the budget, with the first being one week earlier. Each meeting saw one citizen speak on the budget, with both asking for a millage rate rollback and one asking to see more emphasis on commercial development in the city.
