Alpharetta delays millage rate over tax uncertainty

Alpharetta has approved a fiscal 2018 budget but delayed adopting a millage rate because of uncertainties over the Fulton County tax digest. AJC FILE

Alpharetta has approved a fiscal 2018 budget but delayed adopting a millage rate because of uncertainties over the Fulton County tax digest. AJC FILE

The Alpharetta City Council this week approved its fiscal 2018 budget, but the city delayed adopting a millage rate and put a hold on a number of new operating initiatives.

A millage rate of 5.750, unchanged since 2009, had been proposed as part of the city’s $130.2 million budget. However, “due to the current uncertainties relative to the (Fulton County) tax digest, the city will not adopt its millage rate for FY 2018 until July,” Assistant City Administrator James T. Drinkard said in an email.

The initiatives on hold include a community affinity campaign, police body and in-car cameras, a city concert series, an expansion of the bike sharing program and an assistant fire marshal’s position, Drinkard said.

“A decision on whether or not to move forward with those items will be made by city council at a later date based upon how well incoming revenues are meeting budget targets,” he said.