Qualification opens Aug. 18 for city seats ► PAGE 5
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American Legion honors Purple Heart recipients By SARAH COYNE sarah@appenmedia.com
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Fulton County Commissioner Mo Ivory advocates for a 12.5 percent increase to property taxes during the Aug. 6 meeting and final adoption of the 2025 millage rate. With looming costs like upgrades at the Rice Street jail and a new hospital south of Atlanta, Ivory said she will continue to push for a rate increase.
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Members of the American Legion Post 201 gathered on National Purple Heart Day, Aug. 7, to remember and honor those who have been awarded the medal. Purple Heart Day recognizes one of the oldest military awards, first being given to soldiers in 1782. The Purple Heart Medal is presented to those who have been wounded or killed while serving. More than 1.8 million medals have been presented to service members. “In my mind, the veterans are honored on Memorial Day and Veterans Day, and other than that, not so much,” Auxiliary President Ellen Terrell-Youngblood. “And I thought my focus as auxiliary president is community outreach and education.” Terrell-Youngblood contacted Purple Heart recipient Charles Turner to round up veterans who were given the award.
Fulton County board keeps tax levy stable By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com ATLANTA — The Fulton County Board of Commissioners voted 6-1 to keep the property tax rate flat at 8.87 mills Aug. 6 after hours of strong debate. Residents — both homeowners and renters — sent thousands of emails to commissioners and spent hours explaining their opposition during public comment this summer at Fulton County Assembly Hall. County officials estimate the adopted rate will yield general fund revenue totaling $930 million in 2025. That’s up from an estimate of $915 million at the end of January.
The actual revenue taken in during 2024 is around $879 million. There was no discussion of adopting a rate lower than last year. The funding conversation bled into a discussion about Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat, the federal government’s consent decree and how county staff handles the budget process. During public comments Aug. 6, no one spoke in favor of a proposed tax hike. During hundreds of public comments in July, one former county official advocated for a small increase of around half a mill.
See FULTON, Page 16
See MEDAL, Page 14
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From left, Purple Heart Medal recipients Walter Swenson, Peter Manfre, Charles Pesta, Charles Turner and John Tolan gather at the American Legion Post 201 ceremony Aug. 7.
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