Woodstock’s FY 2025

Every year, the Woodstock City Council is tasked with passing a fiscally responsible, balanced budget for the City of Woodstock. On June 10, the Council passed the budget ordinance, which I signed. The Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 budget will take effect on July 1, 2024, and end on June 30, 2025. The most accurate way to assess someone's priorities is to review their checkbook. The same can be said of your government.

The total budget for FY 2025 allocates $80,653,665 spread over seven funds:
1.General Fund 38.2% $30.80 million
2.Water-Sewer 17.4% $14.01 million
3.Storm Water 1.9% $1.56 million
4.SPLOST VII 12.4% $10.03 million
5.Parking Deck Fund 11.6% $9.35 million
6.Parks GO Bond 1.3% $1.02 million
7.Special Revenue 17.2% $13.87 million

Most of these funds are dedicated toward specific purposes (e.g., water-sewer is a separate fund, intended to sustain our clean water and sewer treatment services). The general fund comprises most of our direct budget, which reveals our priorities. It is divided as follows:
1.Police 27.19% $8.38 million
2.Fire 19.67% $6.06 million
3.Public Works 8.88% $2.76 million
4.Information Technology 6.07% $1.87 million
5.Parks and Recreation 6.04% $1.86 million
6.Municipal Court 3.46% $1.07 million
7.All Remaining City Government 28.69% $8.84 million


Together, our police and fire departments comprise 47% of the general fund budget. Woodstock's no. 1 priority is public safety. This year's public safety budget represents the largest financial investment in this category in our city's history.

The next 24.5% of Woodstock's budget is allocated across public works (infrastructure), parks and recreation, information technology, and the city's judicial branch. These six departments comprise roughly 72% of the total budget, leaving 28% to be spread across all remaining portions of the government.

Now you've seen the receipts. Our city's priority, first and foremost, is prioritizing safety. We're doing so by investing in public servant compensation to attract the best and brightest to ensure we maintain our impressively low crime rates and remain among the safest cities in Georgia. We're also making massive investments in our infrastructure. From roadways to water and sewer, we're ensuring that the physical foundations our city is built upon are constructed to last and operate effectively. Additionally, we're investing in generational assets such as parks and green space, and we'll be exploring ways to do even more on this front as the year progresses. The remainder of our budget is invested in critical priorities such as economic development, community development, information technology, and more.

We're investing heavily in the areas that will build a sustainable, vibrant Woodstock for the next generation while maintaining some of the lowest tax rates in our region. Together, we've built an incredible city and community. I'm proud to report that Woodstock's City Council and City Staff are intent on being good stewards with the resources you lend them to maintain our best-in-class sense of place and quality of life.

Our city's budget represents the investments we're making toward a bold, authentic, collaborative Woodstock. Thank you for your trust and for the opportunity to serve as your mayor.