Fulton School Board Schedules Millage Rate Hearings

The Fulton County Board of Education will hold three public hearings in order to allow the public to review the proposed 2009 budget. The Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights requires the board to hold these hearings due to the fact that the tentative budget does not include a full millage rollback to offset increases in property assessments.

The Fulton County millage consists of two combined millage, a debt service rate and a maintenance and operations (M&O) rate. The tentative 2009 general fund budget approved by the school board provides a full rollback of the debt service millage rate – from 1.188 to 1.099 mills, a 0.089 millage decrease.

However, the M&O millage rate only includes a partial rollback of 0.5 mills this is from 16.903 to 16.403 mills – to fund capital projects not included in SPLOST. The total proposed millage for FY09 is 17.502, a decrease of 0.589 mills from FY08.

The Fulton County School System is the only metro Atlanta school district recommending a millage rollback of any amount. As a result, 83 percent of Fulton homeowners will pay less in school taxes.

All concerned citizens are invited to speak at the millage public hearings set for:

• June 10, 11 a.m.
Administrative Center (786 Cleveland Avenue S.W., Atlanta)

• June 10, 7 p.m.
Administrative Center

• June 17, 6:30 p.m.
Dunwoody Springs Charter Elementary School (8100 Roberts Drive, Sandy Springs)

The school board is expected to adopt the final budget on June 12, 6:30 p.m., and the millage rates on June 17 following the 6:30 p.m. millage hearing. Both meetings are scheduled for Dunwoody Springs Charter Elementary School.