The city of Cornelia will look to approve an $8.2 million budget and hold a final public hearing on next year’s millage rate at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1, at City Hall.
The 2025 budget is expected to increase by about $2.4 million from last year. A majority of the increase is due to the recent amphitheater project approved by the city. The budget also includes a 5% pay raise and cost of living adjustment for all city employees.
“If you remove the $2 million for (the amphitheater) project, the general fund operating costs increased by $326,796,” city documents state. “As usual, most of this increase is due to rising personnel costs and insurance costs. In order to balance the budget, we will need to utilize $794,682 from our general fund and $1.5 million from the water and sewer fund.”
As proposed, Cornelia’s top expenses in the budget include the police department ($2.2 million), the fire department ($1.5 million), the recreation division ($2 million), general government operations ($803,787) and the city manager’s office ($452,940).
The city’s primary revenue sources in the proposed budget include taxes ($4.2 million), intergovernmental revenues ($1.6 million) and grants ($1 million).
Cornelia officials are likely to call for a 5% increase in water fees as well as a 12% rate hike in garbage fees for next year, according to city documents.
Millage rate
Commissioners will also hold a public hearing on the 2025 millage rate Tuesday.
City documents state that Cornelia’s commissioners are expected to maintain a current millage rate of 9.5 mills. A mill is equal to $1 per $1,000 in taxable property value. In Cornelia, property is taxed at 40% of its value.
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