Politics & Government

Brookhaven Approves 2014 Budget

$26.3M budget includes parks & rec plan, raises for city employees.

From the City of Brookhaven:

The Brookhaven City Council voted 3-1 Tuesday night in support of a $26.343 million budget for Fiscal Year 2014.

The budget includes operating expenses for the city, including administration, police, parks and recreation, community development, public works, municipal court and other city services. This includes money to execute proposed planning initiatives, including a parks and recreation plan, a Buford Highway improvement plan and a transportation plan.

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The approved budget also includes 3.5 percent raises for city employees, which are majority police officers. The raises will be given on the anniversary of employees’ hire dates and awarded based on performance.

Councilman Bates Mattison voted against the budget because he supported 4 percent raises.

Find out what's happening in Brookhavenwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The 2014 budget includes the city’s tax rate of 2.85 mils. This rate was approved by council in June. Brookhaven’s city charter prohibits the council from raising the millage rate above 3.35 mills.

“We kept our promise to be fiscally responsible with taxpayer dollars by maintaining a lean budget,” Brookhaven Mayor J. Max Davis said. “In our first year or operations, we set a millage rate below the cap and established a $1 million reserve fund. We plan to continue to spend and save responsibly in the next year.”

Brookhaven anticipates receiving $5.1 million in real property tax, $250,000 in personal property tax and $100,000 in motor vehicle tax, along with $3.5 million in franchise fees.

The budget is contingent on the city receiving revenue from DeKalb County, as well as franchise fees from Georgia Power.

To view the full budget, visit www.brookhavenga.gov.


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