Johns Creek was recently named the best city to live in the country by US News & World Report and before that by Travel and Leisure magazine. In its write-up, US News noted that while Johns Creek may not be the cheapest place to live, it offers the best value. This important distinction is one that we should take great pride in.
John Bradberry
My goal as mayor is for Johns Creek to have the best and smallest city government possible, i.e. delivering value. To me, this means ensuring our government is as efficient, effective, accountable and transparent as possible, while keeping taxes low without sacrificing our priorities – safety and quality of life.
I have worked to keep Johns Creek’s millage rate low. Today, we maintain the lowest millage rate of any city in Fulton County by far. This is intentional. I have always said that the government should have what it needs, but not everything it wants. By keeping our base millage rate low and putting the Performing Arts Center (PAC) referendum before the voters, residents can decide the potential value of a PAC to them and our community. Funding for the PAC is a big decision that warrants more than just a vote of the City Council.
It would be easy and certainly within our ability for the council, per the City Charter, to simply vote yes or no on the PAC ourselves. However, at the June 26 meeting, the City Council voted to authorize a bond referendum for potentially funding a PAC. If approved, a home in Johns Creek with the median-assessed value of $550,000 would pay an additional $83 in taxes each year.
I voted to authorize the referendum because I believe that after 10 years of our city talking about building a PAC, it was time for the residents of Johns Creek to decide. Putting this important matter in the hands of the voters in a referendum is the right and fair thing to do. A referendum is in line with my goal for the Johns Creek government to remain transparent and accountable to the citizens.
This question of building a PAC deserves careful consideration. It has been studied and analyzed by professionals hired by the Legacy Center Task Force, then by the Mayor’s Working Group, and finally by the full City Council and city staff. There is definitely a need and demand for this type of facility in our community. It is an important opportunity, but not without a cost.
The project cost is estimated at $60 million. Forty million dollars would come from the proposed bond (if approved by voters), with the balance funded through strategically identified city cash – without using reserves or delaying any current projects.
My hope is that our community will have an honest and truthful discussion based on the project’s merits rather than incorrect information going around online.
A few important points to keep in mind:
- Johns Creek has a AAA bond rating, which we expect to maintain if the bond is issued.
- No reserve funds would be used for the PAC. The city will maintain our current 3-months of operating reserves, robust maintenance accruals and a cash flow stabilization fund.
- No current city projects would be interrupted.
The city already owns the land for a future PAC location in Town Center. - Reflecting good management and wise choices, the city’s position is stronger today than in 2016 when voters approved the $40 million parks bond referendum.
I have always wanted our taxes to stay as low as possible. As I have often said, the only way that I could support a tax increase is for an emergency or a demonstrated public safety need. That’s why I am probably the only mayor in Georgia who submits an annual budget based on the rollback rate, instead of one with a built-in tax increase. When assessments go up and the millage rate stays the same, that is a back-door tax increase. Only the rollback rate prevents existing property owners from experiencing a tax increase. Whether the council chooses to adopt the budget based on the rollback rate as I proposed, or adopts the higher tax/steady rate, Johns Creek will likely remain the lowest millage rate of any city in Fulton County.
The rollback rate is an important principle to me. My goal has been to keep the general millage rate low enough so that it leaves room for you, the voter, to decide on the PAC in a referendum. The new budget I just presented for FY2026 is also based on the rollback rate. Full transparency: it includes funds for design work on the PAC that would only be expended if the voters approve the referendum in November.
I will continue to look for ways to make our city government more efficient and effective, prioritizing accountability and transparency, all while pursuing the greatest value for our residents. Whether a PAC should be part of our community’s future is your call. As Reagan said, this is your government. It belongs to the people. You decide how big it is, where it’s going, and how fast or slow it goes.
