Johns Creek finance director presents estimated 2026 millage rates; parks bond balance about $3.3 million

Finance Director Harpreet told the Johns Creek City Council at a public hearing that the city’s advertised maintenance-and-operations (M&O) millage rate for fiscal 2026 is 3.492 mills and the parks bond rate is 0.250 mills, and that those figures are based on estimates because Fulton County has not yet delivered the detailed preliminary tax digest.

“This hearing does not set the millage and we do not have a discussion yet about it,” Harpreet said, explaining the presentation used estimated digest numbers. Harpreet said the city’s net tax digest is estimated at $6.58 billion, an increase of about $190 million (roughly 2.115%) from 2025, with an estimated $158 million from reassessment and $32 million from new growth.

Harpreet outlined how millage is calculated (dollars per $1,000 of assessed value), showed a pie chart of the combined tax bill and noted that school millage represents by far the largest share. The presentation listed school at about 17.08 mills, the county at 8.87 mills, the county bond at 0.169 mills, the city M&O at 3.492 mills and the city bond at 0.250 mills, producing a combined total of 29.861 mills for a Johns Creek property owner.

Harpreet also reviewed the rollback-rate concept required under Georgia law and said the estimated rollback for the M&O rate is 3.470 mills — slightly lower than the advertised 3.492 because the digest grew. He noted the parks bond rollback estimate at 0.248 mills. Harpreet emphasized that Fulton County, not the city, assesses value and that Fulton must submit millage rates to the Georgia Department of Revenue by Sept. 1.

Council members asked staff questions about timing and bond details. One council member asked when Fulton County would supply the digest; Harpreet said the city has not received a firm delivery date. Another member requested the parks bond amortization table and asked whether the bond can be called; Harpreet replied the bond becomes callable in 2027 and that staff can provide amortization and payoff schedules.

A council member asked for the balance in the parks bond account; Harpreet said the balance is approximately $3,300,000 and that annual debt-service payments were about $2.1 million to $2.2 million last year, typically paid twice a year. Council members discussed whether calling the bond would make sense given the city’s investment returns; one council member observed the current rate environment may make retaining the bond preferable to calling it.

The presiding official said Fulton County may vote a temporary collection order and then issue a correction notice once the final digest is available, and that the process should not produce an outsized tax increase for residents. The council will hold a second public hearing at 6 p.m. and return for a final hearing and formal vote on the millage on July 27 at 7 p.m.; no vote was taken at the meeting.