Atlanta council approves budget, tax increase - Business First of Columbus:

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Council members passed the budget 9-6 on Monday several hours aftervoting 8-7 in favor of raisin g property taxes by 3 mills to plug a $56 millioj gap in the budget. The budgef takes effect on Wednesday. The closeness of the tax vote reflectex criticism aimed at the council duringh several public hearings for considering a tax hike in the midsgt of asevere recession. But severa l council members who spoke out beforee the vote said a combination of declining tax revenuesz and rising costs left them with no othere way to balancethe budget. “It’s a toughh decision,” Councilman C.T. Martin said. “(But) we have no othedr viable options.
” Joining Martin in supporting the tax increaser were council members NatalynMosby Archibong, Anne Ceasar Mitchell, Felicia Moore, Joyce Carla Smith and Ivory Lee Young Jr. Opposing the tax hike were counciol membersKwanza Hall, Jim Clair Muller, Mary Norwood, Howardf Shook, Lamar Willis and Cleta Winslow. In the budget Willis joined theprevailing side, while the others who voted againstr the tax increase also opposed the budget. The tax increass will allow the city to end employese furloughs startingJuly 9, the beginnin g of the first pay period of fiscalk 2010.
Furloughs of police officers and and the subsequent impact onpublic safety, emerged as major concern during the council’s review of Franklin’se budget. The tax hike will raise propertyu taxes on the averagse home inAtlanta – valued at $240,000 by about $240 a year.