The biggest fight over DeKalb County government spending this year may be about pay raises for police officers and firefighters.

DeKalb CEO Mike Thurmond didn't include raises in his budget proposal Tuesday, but he acknowledged that pay, recruitment and retention are issues for public safety employees.

Police and firefighters want a 20 percent pay raise, saying it's necessary to DeKalb competitive with surrounding areas. They received 4 percent raises last year.

The $1.3 billion budget will be debated and amended by the DeKalb Board of Commissioners before a vote in late February.

Please read the full story about Thurmond's budget recommendation on MyAJC.com.

About the Author

Keep Reading

Two people are dead following a domestic incident at the Haven North East apartments on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025, police said. (Courtesy of Channel 2 Action News)

Credit: Channel 2 Action News

Featured

An aerial view captures a large area under construction for a new data center campus on Thursday, May 29, 2025. Developed by QTS, the data center campus near Fayetteville is one of the largest under construction in Georgia. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez