Athens-Clarke County Mayor Kelly Girtz submitted a budget to the Commission for review on Friday. The General Fund Budget totals $212.5 million for Operating and Capital Expenses, over $10 million more than last year’s budget. The Operating and Capital Budget for all funds totals $377.3 million, over $30 million more than last year. The millage rate, which is used to calculate property taxes, will stay the same at 12.25 mills.
The increase in total money spent would come from greater expenditures on public safety, quasi-governmental agencies like Advantage Behavioral Health, the judicial system, and other departments. The budget also makes room for scheduled pay increases for county employees.
While County Manager Bob Cowell said during a March meeting that the county’s expenditures are outpacing its revenues and that in future years he won’t recommend using the county’s savings, Mayor Girtz did decide to dip into the Fund Balance. The budget proposes drawing a little under $4 million from the county’s rainy-day fund, nearly $11 million less than what was taken from the fund balance last year. The budget also proposes cutting some full-time positions but ultimately will increase the number of full-time employee positions by 10 if passed.
Mayor Girtz’s plan to fund the government will replace the People & Belonging Department with the new Office of Community Well-Being & Civil Rights. The new office will be a division of the Manager’s Office and will continue to support certain community events like the annual Juneteenth celebration. Meanwhile, if passed, the budget would create another Assistant Manager position.
The Commission will hold several public work sessions and will adopt the budget on June 9th for it to go into effect in July. Residents will have opportunity to offer public comment during three Taxpayer Bill of Rights Hearings.
Athens-Clarke County Commission Budget Calendar:
- May 12, 2026 (Tuesday) 1:00 PM - 120 W. Dougherty Street
- May 14, 2026 (Thursday) 1:00 PM - 120 W. Dougherty Street
- May 20, 2026 (Wednesday) 6:00 PM - Agenda Setting Session - Public Hearing on FY27 Budget, Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TBOR) Hearing #1- City Hall Commission Chamber
- May 21, 2026 (Thursday) 5:30 PM - Presentations by Quasi-Government Agencies followed by Commission budget review (if needed) - City Hall Commission Chamber
- June 2, 2026 (Tuesday) 6:00 PM following Regular Session (if needed), TBOR #2 - City Hall Commission Chamber
- June 4, 2026 (Thursday) 6:00 PM, TBOR #3 - City Hall Commission Chamber
- June 9, 2026 (Tuesday) 6:00 PM for adoption City Hall Commission Chamber
