Cobb FY 2022 budget adoption, millage rate slated for Tuesday

Cobb FY 22 budget

Reminder about the final hearings for the fiscal year 2022 Cobb County government budget and millage rate, and adoption of both, on Tuesday.

The Cobb Board of Commissioners will meet at 7 p.m. (the full agenda is here), with the budget and millage rate items near the start of the agenda.

A property tax increase for the general fund (now at 8.46 mills) is not included in the proposed $496.6 million spending package, which is an increase of nearly 5 percent from the adopted fiscal year 2021 budget of $473.8 million.

But the county is required under state law to advertise that there will be a tax increase. That’s because Cobb will be collecting more tax revenue in 2022 due to a 5.5 percent growth in the tax digest, and because there’s not a corresponding rollback in the millage rate in the proposed budget.

The budget proposal includes the continuation of STEP increases for Cobb public safety personnel (police, fire, 911, Sheriff’s Office) and a 3 percent merit raise for other employees.

Four new full-time positions are being recommended, including a diversity, equity and inclusion officer who will report to the County Manager and three others in elections.

More budget documents and information can be found here.

The meeting takes place in the second floor board room of the Cobb government building, 100 Cherokee St., downtown Marietta.

They will be live-streamed on the county’s website, cable TV channel (Channel 24 on Comcast) and Youtube page. Visit cobbcounty.org/CobbTV to find your favorite streaming outlet.

The FY 22 budget takes effect Oct. 1.