The Fiscal Year 2026 Mayor’s Recommended Budget for July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026 for the Athens-Clarke County Unified Government (ACCGov) has been submitted to the Commission for review. This budget is balanced and includes a General Fund Operating and Capital Budget that totals $201.6 million for FY26, which is $2 million less than the FY25 budget. 

The budget year begins on July 1. In advance of the beginning of the fiscal year, departments and constitutional officials submit operating and capital budget requests for review by the Manager and the Mayor. The Mayor submits a recommended budget to the Commission for review by April 30 each year. The Commission reviews the Mayor’s Recommended Budget and can make any adjustments necessary prior to adopting the budget in June. 

The FY26 Mayor’s Recommended Budget proposes a millage rate of 12.45 for property tax year 2025 - no change from the current rate. Each mill of this rate produces $1 of taxes for every $1,000 of assessed property value as determined by the Tax Assessor’s Office. 

Additional specific information on the budget, including the full FY26 Mayor’s Recommended Budget, is available at www.accgov.com/budget. A budget summary section is also available as part of the overall budget document. The goals, strategies, and initiatives in the Mayor and Commission’s current Strategic Plan for FY25 and FY26-28 Strategic Plan will also help to guide budget priorities.

Some of the major items included in the Mayor’s Recommended Budget:

• Employee compensation is targeted for a 3% pay table increase to ensure competitive recruitment, along with a 4% market increase for current employees in the Unified Plan (non-public safety). In addition, the structured Public Safety Step Plan is funded with a 3% pay table increase and an additional $740,000 to fund scheduled step increases. 

• For the third year in a row, ACCGov will hold constant employee contributions to the health insurance program. ACCGov’s contribution to annual funding for active employee healthcare benefits did not require additional funds from the General Fund for the first time in several years. ACCGov’s contribution to annual funding for employee benefits includes General Fund increases of approximately $377,000 for pension funding and holds steady for health insurance and retiree health. 

A number of operating budget items have been included with attention to the goal of maintaining ACCGov equipment and facilities: 

• Information Technology – $60,000 of additional funding for an Assistant Director position (six months) with a focus on enhanced cyber security. 

• Public Utilities – $147,000 is included for two additional positions (Public Utilities Engineer and a Maintenance Mechanic) to assist with project development and equipment maintenance.

• Transportation & Public Works – $90,000 has been added to cover the increased costs of streetlight electricity.

• Solid Waste – $50,000 of additional funding for CHaRM processing fees to ensure the safe processing of materials.

Public safety initiatives that provide dignity to the public and improve safety continue as a key consideration: 

• Police – $80,000 has been added to the General Fund budget for an additional Crime Analyst to enhance staffing in that unit for the Real Time Crime Center. 

• Fire – $220,000 to add three fulltime positions for six months to increase staffing on ladder trucks to national standards. This is the third and final year of a phase-in plan to add a total of nine positions to support ACCGov’s three ladder trucks. 

• Fire – $96,000 for a position in the Building Inspection Fund to assist with increased demands and complexity for plans review and new commercial project inspections. 

• Sheriff – An additional $177,000 in the Sheriff’s Jail budget for medical services for in-custody residents. This funding is to account for the annual cost for the new contract approved by the Commission on February 7, 2023. 

An effort has been made to address areas of concern with court and administrative processes: 

• Probate Court – $165,000 has been included for an Associate Judge position to help address the backlog of legally required fiduciary filings. 

• District Attorney – $120,000 for an additional Attorney position has been budgeted to partially make up for the loss of several grant positions over the past year. 

• Human Resources – $66,000 has been budgeted for increased cyber security insurance. 

• Elections – $41,000 for an additional Elections Assistant II (six months) to ensure compliance with Title 21 of the Georgia Code, focusing on voter registration, absentee voting, and election procedures. 

The Athens-Clarke County Commission is scheduled to adopt the FY26 Budget at their Regular Voting Meeting on Tuesday, June 3, 2025 at 6:00 PM. 

Before the Athens-Clarke County Mayor and Commission finalizes the FY26 Budget, the Athens-Clarke County Commission is scheduled to review the FY26 Mayor’s Recommended Budget at a series of meetings. 

These upcoming budget-related meetings will take place: 

• Thursday, May 8 – 5:30 PM – Mayor and Commission budget review at 120 Dougherty Street, Government Building Auditorium 

• Tuesday, May 13 – 5:30 PM – Mayor and Commission budget review at 120 Dougherty Street, Government Building Auditorium 

• Thursday, May 15 – 5:30 PM – Mayor & Commission budget review at 120 Dougherty Street, Government Building Auditorium 

• Tuesday, May 20 – 6:00 PM – Mayor & Commission agenda setting meeting at 301 College Avenue, City Hall Commission Chamber with the FY26 Budget on the agenda for discussion and public comment

• Thursday, May 22 (if needed) – 5:30 PM – Mayor & Commission budget review at 120 Dougherty Street, Government Building Auditorium 

• Tuesday, June 3 – 6:00 PM – Mayor & Commission Regular Voting Meeting at 301 College Avenue, City Hall Commission Chamber with the FY26 Budget on the agenda for adoption and public comment

Due to changes from the passage of HB 92 in this year’s legislative session, preliminary tax digest numbers prepared by the Tax Assessor’s and Tax Commissioner’s offices are still being processed. These numbers are used to calculate millage roll back rates and other figures as part of providing notice regarding the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights three required public hearings.  

The public will be notified of these public hearing dates and times, some of which should coincide with previously scheduled meetings, once the figures are determined and legal notices are developed. 

All budget review meetings will be streamed live online and available for on-demand viewing at accgov.com, on the ACCGov YouTube channel, and on the ACCGov Roku channel. Meetings held at City Hall will also be broadcast live and rebroadcast on ACTV Cable Channel 180 and the ACCGov Facebook page. 

The FY26 Mayor’s Recommended Budget can be reviewed at www.accgov.com/budget. More information is available on each meeting agenda at www.accgov.com/agendas or by calling the Clerk of Commission at 706-613-3031.  

A copy of the FY26 Mayor’s Recommended Budget will also available for public inspection during normal business hours at the Athens-Clarke County Library at 2025 Baxter Street. Copies will also be available in the Clerk of Commission’s Office in City Hall, 301 College Avenue, in Suite 204 and the Manager’s Office in City Hall, 301 College Avenue, in Suite 303.