Brookhaven City Council adopts millage rates despite Emory’s objections

The City of Brookhaven adopted the fiscal year 2025 millage, stormwater, and street light district rates at its June 17 meeting after a tense public comment session.

Residents will see the new rates in effect in September, when the DeKalb Tax Commissioner ‘s office issues tax bills for the year. The most significant jump in millage rates will occur in the special tax district that includes Emory University’s medical campus, Executive Park, as well as the new Arthur M. Blank Hospital Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

Lindsey Walker Hillis, outside counsel for Emory University, called the special tax district fund increase “illegal.”

“Emory expected Brookhaven to hold to its conservative tax increases,” Hillis said of the jump from 6.4 to 12 mills. 

The increase is expected to help fund a proposed pedestrian bridge from Executive Drive to the Peachtree Creek Greenway. The city has said the bridge will also require a bond, to be issued in the future.

Hillis said the proposed pedestrian bridge will not specifically serve Emory, but rather the residents of Brookhaven. While Emory does not object to the bridge, it did not agree to fund it, she said. 

“The fact remains that the special tax district loan rate proposal is illegal under Georgia law because it unfairly pushes the tax burden from the overall tax digest to commercial taxpayers,” she said. 

The mayor and city council members did not respond to Hillis during the meeting, as is the city’s public comment policy. 

“The community investment agreement is clear. Emory did agree to fund the pedestrian bridge, and their assertion is incorrect,” Mayor John Park said after the meeting. 

City council approved the following rates: 

• General Fund Maintenance and Operation millage at 2.74.
• General Fund Bond millage at 0.47.
• Special Service District Fund millage at 4.00.
• Special Tax District Fund millage at 12.00.
• The Stormwater Fund assessment rate is set to $142 for Equivalent Residential Units (ERUs). 
• The Street Light District assessment rate is set to $39.69 per parcel.

The council also approved Public Works spending: an emergency storm sewer repair on Standard Drive in the amount of $270,000; storm sewer rehabilitation on Berkford Circle in the amount of $140,000; and soil remediation and landscaping for the Murphey Candler II trail project in the amount of $196,000. 

Proposed by City Attorney Jeremy Berry, council members approved spending $25,900 to acquire an easement at 4047 Ashford Dunwoody Road for the Ashford Dunwoody multi-use path. A document states that “the city attorney has been unable to acquire the necessary right of way acquisitions from the owner of the property by direct negotiations.”

The council approved an ordinance to spend $197,236 to purchase a SWAT vehicle to support emergency operations and tactical deployments, an expense that is shared with the members of North Metro SWAT – Brookhaven, Dunwoody, Chamblee, and Doraville. The vehicle is a 2022 Ford F600. 

Lastly, council approved a $120,000 expense from for outside legal services.

The next Brookhaven City Council meeting will be held on Tuesday, July 22.

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