A couple weeks after officially receiving the recommendations of his transition committee, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens unveiled his first budget this week, a $743 million general fund budget that’s getting a big lift from increased property values in Atlanta.
At their core, budgets or spending priorities are about values, what does a city want to focus on or particularly improve? You can tell a lot about a government by what they spend their money – maybe even tell ALL about a government by that. According to Dickens’ office, the largest budget request in city history prioritizes equity and service, investing in critical city services and personnel. The budget will increase spending on youth, public safety facilities and parks.
“This budget is a statement of the City’s core values, our respect and acknowledgement of the contributions of our employees, and our unwavering commitment to exceed the expectations of all Atlantans,” said Mayor Dickens. “By thoughtfully broadening our investments in infrastructure, maintenance for aging parks and public safety facilities, expanded youth engagement programs and services for residents, we are meeting the needs of today while laying the groundwork for an equitable and resilient future.”
The budget would increase pay for all city employees, increase funding to hire more police officers – crime being on the mayor’s biggest priorities for political stability in the city, phased pay increases for Atlanta firefighters, upgrading the city’s 311 system and increasing contributions to the city’s reserves – something that has taken on increased importance for an administration coming in on the heels of Covid-19.
The city’s revenue sources are an interesting bit of trivia for budget wonks. Four of the eleven revenue categories account for nearly 85 percent of the total $743 million. Property taxes are by far the biggest revenue source with $243 million, followed by the Local Option Sales Tax ($135 million), Public Utility, Alcoholic Beverage and Other Taxes ($123 million) and Licenses and Permits at $120 million. The city’s Chief Financial Officer Mohamed Balla noted that those categories can be particularly sensitive to economic conditions – think about sales taxes or business compliance costs for instance. (With that in mind, it will be worth noting the differences in next year’s budget compared to this one.)
Another revenue boost is the fast growth of the city, 2021’s numbers are not in yet from U.S. Census Bureau estimates but the city is hovering right around a record-breaking population. There are almost 100,000 more people living in the city now than in the year 2000.
“Collectively the investments included in this balanced budget provides a clear plan to Move Atlanta Forward through people, services, and infrastructure, while remaining fiscally responsible. Not only will this budget allow us to deliver the basic City services our residents expect, but it will allow us to make key long-term investments that will benefit Atlantans for years to come,” said Dickens.
If you really want to dig in and review the details of the 622 page document, you can find it here:
