Fayetteville unveils $66.1 million FY2027 proposed budget with $79 million in infrastructure projects
June 19, 2026 | Fayetteville City, Fayette County, Georgia
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Karen Austin, the budget presenter, delivered the first reading of Fayetteville’s fiscal year 2027 proposed budget, calling it “a conservative budget that is meeting the priorities and the needs of the citizens of Fayetteville.”
Austin said the all-funds proposed total is $66,084,404, a net change of 19.5% from fiscal year 2026, and described about $79,000,000 in planned infrastructure improvements including Fire Station 93, a police and municipal headquarters, 38 acres of development, multiuse trails along City Center Parkway, and downtown alley and beer-garden projects.
She outlined the primary funding sources: taxes (71.5% of projected revenue), license and permitting fees (about 18%), impact fees and fund balance, and said the general fund proposal is $36,997,000 (up from $29,450,000 in FY2026). Austin noted the proposal assumes a modest 3% increase in property-tax revenue to $8,900,000 and highlighted growth elsewhere tied to new development.
On reserves, Austin said the city’s audited fiscal-year-2025 reserves were $30,000,000 but explained that policy requires setting aside a portion of fund balance; staff plan to use roughly $13,000,000 of fund balance in FY2027, leaving an estimated remaining balance after project completion.
Public-safety spending was a prominent increase: the FY2027 proposed public-safety budget is $18.3 million (up $3 million), largely to staff 12 additional public-safety positions and related costs. Austin also flagged increases in enterprise funds (water, sewer, stormwater and solid-waste), including planned rate adjustments in the solid-waste fund.
The presentation concluded with an invitation for questions; a citizen asked whether the $12,000,000 figure referenced stormwater specifically and Austin clarified that the enterprise fund combines water, sewer and stormwater. The council held the first reading and scheduled a second reading and potential adoption on July 16.
The budget remains a proposal until the council completes the second reading and final vote.
Austin said the all-funds proposed total is $66,084,404, a net change of 19.5% from fiscal year 2026, and described about $79,000,000 in planned infrastructure improvements including Fire Station 93, a police and municipal headquarters, 38 acres of development, multiuse trails along City Center Parkway, and downtown alley and beer-garden projects.
She outlined the primary funding sources: taxes (71.5% of projected revenue), license and permitting fees (about 18%), impact fees and fund balance, and said the general fund proposal is $36,997,000 (up from $29,450,000 in FY2026). Austin noted the proposal assumes a modest 3% increase in property-tax revenue to $8,900,000 and highlighted growth elsewhere tied to new development.
On reserves, Austin said the city’s audited fiscal-year-2025 reserves were $30,000,000 but explained that policy requires setting aside a portion of fund balance; staff plan to use roughly $13,000,000 of fund balance in FY2027, leaving an estimated remaining balance after project completion.
Public-safety spending was a prominent increase: the FY2027 proposed public-safety budget is $18.3 million (up $3 million), largely to staff 12 additional public-safety positions and related costs. Austin also flagged increases in enterprise funds (water, sewer, stormwater and solid-waste), including planned rate adjustments in the solid-waste fund.
The presentation concluded with an invitation for questions; a citizen asked whether the $12,000,000 figure referenced stormwater specifically and Austin clarified that the enterprise fund combines water, sewer and stormwater. The council held the first reading and scheduled a second reading and potential adoption on July 16.
The budget remains a proposal until the council completes the second reading and final vote.
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