Dunwoody, GA – August 30, 2024 – Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch and City Manager Eric Linton transmitted the proposed 2025 Budget for the City of Dunwoody to the full Council today, as required by the City’s Charter. The proposed General Fund Budget of $37 million continues to focus on public safety, with $14.3 million or 38.6 percent of the budget allocated to the Dunwoody Police Department.
“The City is in a strong financial position going into 2025 due to our careful stewardship of funds, and we’re staying adaptable for the future,” said Dunwoody City Manager Eric Linton. “After a unique period of uncertainty and change, key parts of the budget have rebounded. However, some major revenue sources and expenditure categories continue to shift and show the impacts of economic instability.”
The Proposed General Fund budget is a 6.6 percent increase over the 2024 amended budget of $34.7 million. This increase is mainly due to increased public safety staffing, employee compensation and benefit increases, escalations in existing contracts, and increased maintenance and utility costs. Healthcare costs alone are estimated to increase by 6.5 percent. The proposed budget includes fully funding all City positions for the full year, a salary increase for police and other personnel planned for July 2025, and the full-year impact of 2024 pay increases.
The proposed budget for 2025 does not include new revenue sources. It does, however, anticipate using current fund balance. This fund balance allows us to address slowing growth and revenues while continuing to provide outstanding services. The City’s current fund balance of $26 million equals about ten months of operating expenses. The proposed budget would keep the fund balance at eight months, four months higher than the four-month minimum reserve required by the City Charter.
“We’ve been careful with our fund balance, which puts us in a strong position for times like this. Using American Rescue Plan dollars, which were allocated to help local governments recover from the pandemic, and fund balance, the City can present a balanced budget without increasing taxes or fees on residents or businesses,” said Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch. “This November, Georgians will have the opportunity to vote on the Georgia Local Option Homestead Property Tax Exemption Amendment. If this measure passes statewide, there is the potential for a vote to create a one-penny sales tax, which would create new revenue for the City in the future.”
On Monday, Sept. 9, beginning at 10 a.m., the Dunwoody City Council will hold a special-called meeting to review the 2025 Proposed Budget. Additionally, the City Council will hold two public hearings on the 2025 Proposed Budget. The first public hearing will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 15, at 6 p.m., and the second public hearing will be held on Monday, Oct. 28, at 6 p.m. All meetings will take place at City Hall, located at 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Road.
City Council must adopt the budget before the end of October 2024, allowing for two months of public input and comment. The proposed budget can be found on the City of Dunwoody website (www.dunwoodyga.gov) under the Finance Department tab and using this link.
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For more information about the City of Dunwoody, please contact Jennifer Boettcher, Communications Director, at 678.382.6881 or email.
