Proposed Cobb FY 2022 budget Archives

Cobb FY 22 budget

The Cobb Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing on Tuesday for the proposed fiscal year 2022 budget that was presented this week.

The Cobb Finance Office is proposing a general-fund spending package of $496.6 million, an increase of nearly 5 percent from the adopted fiscal year 2021 budget of $473.8 million.

The overall FY ’22 budget that includes fire and 911 services, debt service, and other tax categories comes to $767.4 million.

In his budget presentation Tuesday (you can watch it here), Cobb finance director Bill Volckmann said no general-fund millage rate increase is anticipated (here’s the presentation for that).

The current millage rate for the general fund is 8.46 mills, but because of 5.5 percent growth in the Cobb tax digest, the county has had to advertise and hold hearings for a tax increase.

That’s required by state law when there isn’t a corresponding millage rate rollback.

Volckmann told commissioners on Tuesday that the estimated taxable tax digest for 2021 is $1.8 billion, an increase from $34 million in 2020.

The budget 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.

Tuesday’s hearings for the budget and millage rate will take place at 6:30 p.m. in the second floor board room of the Cobb government building, 100 Cherokee St., downtown Marietta.

That’s also the venue for budget and millage adoption on July 27 at 7 p.m.

The meetings are 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.