House backs special tax district for DeKalb police

By April Hunt

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Infighting between DeKalb County's commissioners and its CEO prompted the Georgia House on Wednesday to allow the county to have a special property tax fund for its Police Department.

The move is the first of its type in the state, creating a special tax district for police services that cannot be cut when trying to slash spending in the general fund.

“It’s the [County] Commission’s way of saying to the CEO that the shell game with the budget must stop,” said Rep. Mike Jacobs, R-Brookhaven, the sponsor of House Bill 607. The county’s legislative delegation unanimously backed the measure.

A drop in property values led DeKalb to spend all its reserve funds to pay for 2010. CEO Burrell Ellis proposed a 0.92-mill increase in property taxes in the $563.3 million spending plan he proposed to balance the budget and eliminate seven furlough days for employees last year.

The commission rejected the increase, instead cutting $33.6 million, including $5 million from the Police Department's budget.

Commissioners said residents have repeatedly said they don’t want a tax increase but would be willing to pay for police and public safety.

The special district, which would go into effect next year, still needs the Senate's approval.