Homeowners Will See A Small Property Tax Increase In Lawrenceville

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City of Lawrenceville officials have announced their intention to raise the millage rate by 1.206 mills above the roll-back rate, resulting in a new millage rate of 3.26 mills. Despite the increase, this new rate remains lower than the 1990 millage rate of 5.0 mills, making it the lowest rate among Gwinnett cities with a millage rate and a city police department.

This proposal, developed after thorough consideration and analysis of Lawrenceville’s budgetary needs, aims to ensure financial stability and maintain the quality of city services. The increase was initially communicated to the public in 2023 during the FY 2024 budget discussions and public hearings.

Chief Financial Officer Keith Lee stated, “The proposed millage rate adjustment is essential to maintaining the high-quality services expected by our residents. Our goal is to balance fiscal responsibility with the needs of our growing community, and we believe this rate increase is a crucial step in that process.”

The current millage rate of 2.228 was last increased in FY 2022. The proposed property tax revenue for FY 2025 is $6,536,614, including a total revenue increase of $1,740,000. With this change, property owners will pay the same total millage rate of 3.26 mills regardless of whether they live in unincorporated Gwinnett or inside the city limits of Lawrenceville. The proposed tax increase for a home with a fair market value of $350,000 is approximately $12 monthly. Property Tax represents 3.5% of the City’s total revenue sources and just under 10% of the overall property taxes a citizen pays in the City of Lawrenceville.

The tax increase will support essential city services, including roads and traffic management, public safety, parks and playgrounds, and programs for the homeless community. It will also fund inflationary costs to operate city services and create nine new positions, supporting the Police Department, IT, Human Resources, and Facility Maintenance.

The City of Lawrenceville manages one of the largest municipal budgets in the Metro Atlanta area, with revenue streams from property taxes, business fees, and a robust utility infrastructure that includes electric, gas, solid waste, and stormwater services. Lawrenceville aims to foster a vibrant community for its residents through strategic, intentional, and practical investments.

Moody’s recently upgraded the City of Lawrenceville’s credit rating, highlighting the city’s strong management, stable budgetary performance, solid financial policies and practices, sound budgetary flexibility, operating surpluses, liquidity, weak debt and contingent liability profile, and secure institutional framework. Additionally, the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) has awarded the city the “Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting” (ACFR), signifying Lawrenceville’s commitment to exceptional governmental accounting and financial reporting.

Lawrenceville residents are encouraged to attend public hearings on the millage rate, scheduled for July 10, 2024, at 5 pm at Lawrenceville City Hall and July 22, 2024, at 12 noon and 7 pm.

The City of Lawrenceville is dedicated to maintaining its residents’ high quality of life through responsible fiscal management, strategic planning, and community engagement. With a commitment to transparency and excellence, Lawrenceville continues to thrive as a dynamic and vibrant city in the heart of Gwinnett.