State Sen. Kasim Reed’s (D-Atlanta) legislation proposing an initiative to fund public safety recently passed in the Senate Finance Committee. The bill will create a referendum, giving the citizens of Atlanta and other cities which employ more than 1,500 police officers and firefighters, a choice to levy a 1 mill property tax dedicated solely to funding police and fire officer salaries.“This legislation will allow the citizens of Georgia’s cities a change to ensure they have sufficient police and fire protection,” said Reed. “By conservative estimates, this legislation will fund 150-200 police and fire officers and eliminate current furloughs.”
A special fund will be dedicated only to paying salaries for police and fire officers would be established and would not be co-mingled with the a city’s general fund. This mill increase would be subject to sunset, unless continued by the voters in subsequent referendum, similar to the Water and Sewer legislation previously co-authored by Sen. Reed.
For the city of Atlanta, an owner of a $250,000 home this would mean an impact of approximately $6.00 per month. Conservative projections indicate that a 1 mill increase will generate an estimated $20-$24 million.
“This legislation will help Atlanta fund their police and fire fighters without fear of more furloughs and layoffs,” Sen. Reed continued. “We need to invest in our public safety if we want to create better homes, schools and communities in Georgia.”
For additional information on the referendum, contact Senator Reed or go to www.legis.ga.gov.
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