Tagged: Jeff Rader

DeKalb County Commissioners will face tough choices as they begin weighing how to balance the 2013 budget Tuesday. 

As a result of declining property tax revenue and the incorporation of the city of Brookhaven, commissioners will have to consider spending cuts or a potential property tax rate increase proposed by DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis. The 1.9 percent millage rate increase would cost almost $49 more per year for owners of a $200,000 home. But Commissioner Jeff Rader is hoping to avoid that increase.

A tax increase is part of DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis’s 2013 budget plan as is the addition of 25 more police officers.    

But at least one commissioner says DeKalb needs fewer—not more—police. 

Commissioner Jeff Rader says unincorporated DeKalb County is a lot smaller than it used to be, especially since Brookhaven is now its own city.

“We need to downsize the organizations that provide those services so that we can start to realize some savings,” Rader says.