Dunwoody Charter Commission Does About Face on Fire Tax Recommendation

The Dunwoody Charter Commission voted to reverse its earlier decision and now recommends that the fire tax rate could not be raised without a public vote, should the city establish a fire department. 

In a 3-2 vote, the commission members recommended a charter amendment that allows the city to acquire fire services from DeKalb County and to impose a tax millage rate not to exceed the three-year average of tax millage for fire services, according to a report from Reporter Newspapers.

This is an about face to the vote the commission held on June 5 to have the city take over the fire millage rate, through a request from state lawmakers, and have the City Council increase the tax rate up to 20 percent (to cover costs of the fire department) without a public vote.

The city’s current charter caps the tax millage rate at 3.04 mills, which cannot increase without a public vote.