S e p t e m b e r 2 9 , 2 0 2 2 | A p p e n M e d i a . c o m | A n A p p e n M e d i a G r o u p P u b l i c a t i o n | 5 0 ¢ | Vo l u m e 1 7 , N o . 3 9
County brass draws curtain on tax debate By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com
Sharing History
AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA
Jeff Dufresne, co-founder of the Milton Historical Society, remarks about Milton’s agrarian history at the organization’s second annual Shindig Sept. 17. The event was on Wildberry Creek Farm, one of the few remaining cattle operations in Milton. Read story, Page 3
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City Council passes fiscal year 2023 budget
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ATLANTA — It appears that if Fulton County and its 15 municipalities are to reach a deal over how to divvy up billions of dollars in future sales tax revenue, the bargain will be struck behind closed doors. At a scheduled negotiation session Friday in Atlanta – which had been billed as a public discussion – representatives from Fulton County sequestered themselves from the public and about a dozen mayors, and left word they would not bargain in an open meeting. From the outset of talks over the new 10-year agreement, Fulton County has insisted it wants a greater share of local option sales tax money than the 4.97 percent it has been receiving over the past 10 years. While the mayors waited in the main meeting room at the Georgia Municipal Association building Friday, the county did relate through mediator Barry Fleming that it would offer to accept an 8 percent share from the start, graduating to 20 percent over the next 10 years. It also offered a flat 15 percent cut of the proceeds. The proceedings were scheduled to continue through Friday afternoon as of press time, but organizers from the cities said they didn’t expect Fulton County to change its mind and appear in the open forum. Earlier in the week, eight Fulton County mayors met with residents Sept. 21 for a public information session at Roswell City Hall. Every 10 years, the county and its cities renegotiate
See TAX, Page 15