Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens has signaled that a property tax millage rate increase is likely needed within the next four years, highlighting the challenges of maintaining city services amid significant population growth.
In a recent statement quoted by the Saporta Report, Dickens remarked, “I can’t see a scenario where four more years go by without a millage rate increase of some portion.”
This would mark the first such increase since 2009, when then-Mayor Shirley Franklin’s administration enacted a 3-mill increase.
Dickens elaborated, “I don’t know if it’s this year or next year, but within four years, it will happen… We haven’t charged more for the services, and we have done magical work with budgets.”
His comments emerge at a time when the Atlanta City Council is calling for greater oversight of city spending after a challenging budget cycle.
Estimates from the Atlanta Regional Commission indicate that from April 2023 to April 2024, the 11-county metro area added 62,000 residents.
The organization forecasts the 21-county metro Atlanta area will grow to a staggering 7.9 million by 2050, posing significant challenges for city officials seeking to accommodate new residents without placing undue burdens on long-term residents.
The potential for a stormwater utility fee has also been floated by Dickens’s administration to generate necessary revenue for extensive improvements to the city’s water system.
Since taking office, Dickens has promoted collaboration across the metro region, advocating for a unified approach to address pervasive issues such as traffic, housing, homelessness, and climate change.
He emphasized this point at a recent gathering of local officials as the first Atlanta mayor to lead the Atlanta Regional Commission board, stating, “Collaboration isn’t just a nice to have, it is a must have for these challenges that we’re facing.”
Meanwhile, the political landscape in Atlanta is evolving, especially in the wake of the unexpected victory of Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani in New York City’s mayoral primary.
His win has inspired progressive Democrats in Atlanta, who have historically faced challenges in city races, offering them a renewed sense of hope.
Devin Barrington-Ward, who recently ran for the at-large city council seat, remarked that Mamdani’s victory could prompt important discussions about the future of progressive organizing in Atlanta.
“I think it’s an opportunity to have a conversation around what does Zoran’s victory have implications for progressive organizing in Atlanta?” he stated.
Despite Dickens’s affiliation as a Democrat, some view his responses to certain issues—such as his opposition to the public safety training center referendum and conflicts with the Office of Inspector General—as indicative of a more moderate stance on critical matters.
Progressive activists are now looking toward upcoming city elections as a potential turning point, with eyes on Rohit Malhotra, an Atlanta nonprofit leader, who is challenging longtime Council member Marci Collier Overstreet for the influential council president position.
In summary, as Atlanta grapples with rapid growth and evolving political dynamics, residents and officials alike are left to ponder the implications for budgetary decisions and local governance in the years ahead.
image source from：ajc
