Augusta Budget Hearing Shows $1.2 Billion Plan
Commissioners held the third public hearing on the city's proposed 2027 budget, with a final vote scheduled for November 17.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in City Hall
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Augusta commissioners held the third public hearing on the city's $1.2 billion 2027 budget on November 4. The proposal includes a net drop in the millage rate as the city begins receiving new Floating Local Option Sales Tax revenue.
Why it matters
The budget allocates most of its spending to affordable housing, public safety, and economic development and streets, shaping city services for residents. State law requires FLOST revenue to be used to cut property taxes, directly affecting what Augusta homeowners pay.
The proposed $1.2 billion budget devotes 44 percent to affordable housing and 29 percent to public safety, with a $2 million increase in maintenance and operations. Final figures remain unsettled until the commission's November 17 vote.
The players
Tameka Allen
Augusta city administrator who presented the proposed 2027 budget to commissioners.
Augusta City Commission
The elected body of Augusta, Georgia, that holds the hearings and votes on the city's annual budget.
The details
Administrator Tameka Allen presented the budget proposal to commissioners at the November 4 hearing. The homeowner tax relief from the 2026 Homeowner Tax Relief Grant program reduces eligible Georgia homeowners' assessed home values by $18,000 and appears on property tax bills rather than as a check.
Timeline
November 4: Third public budget hearing held at 10:30 a.m.
November 17: Commission scheduled to vote on the final 2027 budget.
2027: City begins receiving FLOST revenue.
Roadmap
Augusta's 2027 budget is the first to include revenue from the half-cent FLOST that voters approved under Georgia law. That law requires the money to reduce property taxes, so the proposed net drop in the millage rate is a direct application of the statute.
Under the proposal, a net drop in the millage rate and the FLOST-funded property tax reduction could lower what Augusta property owners pay. Homeowners eligible for the state tax relief will see the $18,000 assessed-value reduction on their property tax bills.
The takeaway
Watch the November 17 commission vote, since the final budget will determine the actual millage rate and how much FLOST revenue goes to property tax relief. Homeowners can check their property tax bills in 2027 to confirm the homeowner tax relief reduction.
What happens next
The Augusta City Commission is scheduled to vote on the final 2027 budget on November 17.
Further reading
Follow the latest decisions from Augusta City Hall as the commission moves toward its final budget vote.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Kicks 99.
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Do you expect your property taxes to go down next year?
