City Officials: Proposed 2021 Brookhaven Budget Keeps Taxes Low, Halts New Projects

From the City of Brookhaven:

The General Fund budget, which funds the day-to-day operations of the City of Brookhaven, totals $29.9 million, down $1.2 million or 4 percent from the 2020 revised General Fund budget.

Other features on the 2021 Proposed Budget include:

• The budget is structurally balanced with revenues in balance with expenditures.
• The 2.74 millage rate is unchanged and remains one of the lowest in the region.
• Insourcing the right-of-way maintenance function, which saves approximately $300,000 annually.
• The elimination of three filled positions.
• No new capital projects.
• No compensation increases for City employees.

“This budget is very tight and contains some tough recommendations to hold the line on our millage rate as we take prudent action to brace ourselves for the full economic impact caused by this pandemic,” said City Manager Christian Sigman. “However, the budget is intended to be a very flexible annual planning document. We can adjust if necessary if there is another federal stimulus program or other funding source that will allow the City to kick-start some capital projects.”

Public hearings on the proposed FY 2021 budget will be held at the regularly scheduled City Council meetings on the following dates:

Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 7 p.m.

Following the public hearing on Nov. 10, the budget will be on the agenda for potential approval.

The proposed budget is be posted at www.BrookhavenGA.gov under the Finance Department. Residents are encouraged to provide feedback on the proposed budget by emailing 2021budget@BrookhavenGA.gov.

This press release was produced by the City of Brookhaven. The views expressed here are the author’s own.