DeKalb Commissioners Vote Against Property Tax Increase

DeKalb County will have to create a new budget plan after a proposed budget was voted down by commissioners Monday.

The budget included a property tax increase of 29 cents from the current $1.83 rate to $2.12.

Matthew Adcock serves as a District 6 Commissioner in DeKalb County.

“Right now they’re saying we’re in the red and having to dip into our fund balance,” Adcock said. “I believe that tax rates should be adjusted enough to afford all the things that we already have before spending any money.”

Adcock was one of six commissioners who voted against the motion Monday. He said the tax increase simply doesn’t address the needs laid out in the proposed budget.

“I believe they need to go back and redo the budget because the tax rate wasn’t sufficient enough to take care of the budget they were wanting to pass,” Adcock said. “Whether it’s higher or lower, it needs to be sufficient enough to carry out what the budget needs at the end of the year.”

The commission as a whole voted 6-5 against the budget with three commissioners absent. A resolution was passed during the meeting to continue using the current 2018-2019 fiscal year budget until a new budget is passed.

The DeKalb County budget committee next meets July 10 at 5 p.m. in the county courthouse prior to the full commission meeting July 22.