The East Point City Council passed a $114 million budget for 2012, a 17 percent overall increase from 2011, over the heated objections of residents attending the meeting.
Monday’s contentious meeting featured everything from residents yelling at the council to Mayor Earnestine Pittman leaving after the budget was passed because of pain in her right arm.
The issue that drew the most scorn from residents at the meeting: an increase in water rates of at least $28 a month, along with a flat $7 hike in electric rates starting July 1. East Point sells power to city residents.
To partly offset those increases, the budget also drops the millage rate from 14.75 mills to 13.75. City officials said that cuts the tax bill by about $80 on a $100,000 home.
“Who do you think is going to pay all this? You will not be sitting in these seats in November,” said Sharon Shropshire, a resident who attended the meeting.
Resident Jean Wilson said the increase in utility rates is an attack on the residents.
“When you start taking money out of our children’s mouths, that’s war,” she said.
The budget passed 5-3 and council members defended it after the meeting.
“This budget started out at $118 million, and we got it down to $114 million. The utilities have been losing money and we had to do something,” said Councilman Clyde Mitchell.
The budget also features a franchise fee on the city-owned utilities, to be paid by them to the city. The fee is 5 percent of gross receipts.
“Why are we charging us for us?” asked resident Doc Edwards.
Pittman also had in issue with the franchise fees. “Why would any council member vote to charge their own residents more than giant corporations for the use of our city’s roads and alleys? What does the city do with the franchise fees collected?” she asked.
After the budget passed Pittman left, citing arm pain after being "on the computer all day trying to get the correct facts and figures out to the residents."
Pittman, who has feuded with five members of the council in recent months, said she plans to veto the budget. She also said plans to ask help from Governor Nathan Deal to conduct a forensic audit of the city’s finances.
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