A
look at the proposed Cobb County Board of Commissioners budget
COUNTY MISSION, VISION, AND CORE VALUES
MISSION VISION
“Make Cobb County the best place to live and work through an efficient, effective and responsive government that delivers quality services.”
The mission statement serves as the cornerstone of the County’s work; the goal for all initiatives, services, and events to ensure that the county becomes the best place for residents and workers as a result of government operations.
“Cobb County is a thriving, innovative, and safe community that enhances quality of life for the well-being of all.”
This vision statement was forged through collaboration with staff and county leadership on multiple levels, through benchmarking methods, and analysis of data insights from community members.
CORE
VALUES
COMMITMENT is the grit and grind it takes to keep progressing toward our goals and initiatives. It includes dedication and determination, even in the face of adversity. It is servant leadership at its core.
DIVERSITY brings all of us together in support of a common goal regardless of our differences. Diversity is the springboard for inclusiveness. Diversity is being invited to the party and inclusiveness is being asked to dance.
INTEGRITY ensures the public that they can trust us to operate the county effectively, efficiently, prudently, and with the highest ethical standards.
TEAMWORK welcomes and brings varied perspectives to the table. It enables us to work collaboratively in the best interest of the county.
WHAT IS A BIENNIAL BUDGET
Biennial budgeting is the practice of preparing and adopting budgets for two-year periods. Cobb County Government has traditionally operated on a biennial budget system, which means we plan our spending over a two-year period. This approach provides a longer-term perspective on financial planning and aims to enhance efficiency and stability in budget management. Although we prepare and present the budget two years at a time, by law, we must adopt each budget annually. The second year of the biennial budget is an amended budget. You can find past Biennial Budget books on the Cobb County Finance website.
BUDGET TIMELINE
FISCAL YEAR BEGINS OCTOBER 1ST
The preparation to put together the biennial budget starts just weeks after the adoption of the prior year’s budget. The Chair’s office outlines its priorities for the coming year, and our Finance Department works with county departments on their budget requests. The Tax Assessor’s Office helps narrow down the county’s tax digest, allowing commissioners to fine-tune the requests through meetings during spring and early summer.
Commissioners approved three public hearings on the budget and millage rate before a vote on adoption in late July.
HOW YOUR TAXES ARE CALCULATED
If you own a residential home with a market value of $350,000
Scan QR to view tax breakdown
Your home’s assessed value would be $140,000
If you take advantage of a $10,000 home exemption
Total Annual County Taxes
$3949.40
$2431 goes to Cobb County School District
Your homes assessed value would then be $130,000 and the millage rate is applied against this value
A mill is 1/10 of 1 cent or $1 per $1,000 of assessed value. When we publish the millage rate, we are describing the number of mills. When we calculate taxes, we divide the number of mills by 1,000 to convert mills into whole dollars.
The Cobb County Board of Commissioners sets the millage rate for county taxes, the Cobb County Board of Education sets the millage rate for county school taxes and the city authorities determine the rate for city taxes. All these individual rates are combined to calculate your final property tax bill.
WHERE YOUR PROPERTY TAX DOLLARS GO
For the average Cobb homeowner, the majority of property taxes go to the school district. The county’s General Fund provides a floating homestead exemption, which freezes the valuation of your primary home at the time you applied for the exemption. For most, the longer you live in your home, the percentage that goes to the school district will rise (until you turn 62).
Cobb County General Fund:
$1,099.80
Cobb County Fire District Fund: $418.60
Board of Education General Fund: $2,431.00
COBB COUNTY OPERATING BUDGET
Cobb County’s operating budget, as proposed in this biennial budget, will be around $1.276 billion. This is slightly above the FY24 budget of $1.2 billion. The operating budget contains all government and business-type funds, including the general, water, fire, claims, E911, and about a dozen smaller funds.
The operating budget’s revenue comes from property taxes, penalties and interest, water bill revenue, E911 fees, hotel/motel taxes, licenses and permits, and other revenue sources.
WHERE THE GROWTH IN REVENUE WILL BE SPENT
The General Fund, which is the primary source of funding for most county services, is expected to grow by $41.3 million. The majority of this increase, nearly two-thirds, is dedicated to enhancing public safety. The board has made a firm commitment to address over 200 vacancies in our police and fire departments, manage the rising pension and healthcare costs, and fund overtime pay to ensure the safety of our county.
Public
Transportation
Judicial
Self-Funded
Community
All Other Departments
HOW COBB COMPARES
Cobb residents have traditionally had a lower tax burden than other metro counties. The General Fund millage rate remains the lowest of the core counties, and the sales tax rate is tied for the lowest in the state. Cobb also has fewer employees per capita than any other metro county. The county has enjoyed a Triple AAA rating for the past 26 years.
Cobb County $1,276,073,566**
Fulton County $1,379,900,000
Dekalb County $1,739,473,163
Gwinnett County $1,973,515,446 City of
$2,750,000,000**
**2025 Proposed Operating Budget
OPERATING BUDGET BREAKDOWN
*City of Atlanta rate is within Fulton County †Fulton County rate reflects incorporated Johns Creek. Figures do not include school and state taxes.
SERVICES THE GENERAL FUND PROVIDES
The General Fund plays a crucial role in providing for a wide range of services that Cobb County residents rely on.
PERCENT
FEWER EMPLOYEES
COBB COUNTY HAS FEWER WORKERS PER CAPITA THAN TEN YEARS AGO
BUDGET IMPACTS
COBB DEPARTMENTS REQUESTED 382 NEW POSITIONS, BUT ONLY FIVE WILL BE CONSIDERED
COBB COUNTY
IS ONE OF A HANDFUL OF U.S. COUNTIES WHO HAVE A AAA CREDIT RATING FOR 26 YEARS
MILLION
THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION SAVED COBB COUNTY TAXPAYERS $117 MILLION IN PROPERTY TAXES IN FY 24
COBB COUNTY FINANCE MANAGEMENT SERVICES
100 Cherokee Street, Ste 430 • Marietta, GA
Scan the QR code below to be directed to the Cobb County budget & millage information page to access the budget presentation, 5-year tax history, recommended budget handout and more.
