Augusta's $1.26 billion 2027 budget plan raises water and sewer rates 6.5% and trades a 2-mill tax increase for the new FLOST. The commission votes Nov. 17.

Augusta’s water and sewer rates would rise 6.5% in January under the city’s proposed 2027 budget. The plan totals $1.26 billion across all funds. The Augusta Commission is scheduled to adopt it Nov. 17.

Updated Oct. 15: the city confirmed the first budget work session for 2 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14, in the Commission Chamber (public notice, PDF). The city has not published any change to the proposal since. The town meeting date is still to be announced.

Administrator Tameka Allen presented the budget to the commission Sept. 29. Her presentation (PDF) and the full 284-page proposed budget (PDF) are on the city’s website. Augusta’s budget year runs with the calendar year.

What would change for residents

The proposed budget includes:

  • a 6.5% water and sewer rate increase, which the budget says reflects inflation and the system’s maintenance and capital needs
  • a 3% yearly increase in the environmental services fee, which pays for garbage pickup, and a 3% increase in the streetlights fee
  • a 0.2-mill increase in the fire tax and a 0.7-mill increase in the urban services tax, to pay for a new Fire Department pay plan that raises starting pay
  • a 2-mill increase in the county maintenance and operations tax rate, set against the new sales tax rollback described below

The FLOST trade

Augusta voters approved a half-cent Floating Local Option Sales Tax, or FLOST, in May. Its whole purpose is to lower property tax rates. Collections began Oct. 1.

The budget projects $19.68 million in FLOST money between July 1, 2026, and June 30, 2027. That would be worth about a 2.263-mill cut in the county maintenance and operations rate, based on the 2026 tax digest.

The administrator recommends raising that rate by 2 mills at the same time. The budget says the two together give “a net County M&O millage rate decrease for all properties.” It does not give a combined figure that includes the separate fire and urban services increases. The 2027 rates themselves will be set next year.

Our property taxes guide explains how millage turns into a bill and lists the 2026 rates the commission adopted Sept. 18.

Where the money goes

Bar chart of Augusta's 2027 proposed budget by fund, in millions of dollars: enterprise $416.1 million, general $234.1 million, capital projects $212.6 million, special revenue $169.7 million, debt service $143.3 million, internal service $72.5 million, trust and agency $13 million.
Augusta's proposed 2027 budget by fund, from the administrator's Sept. 29 presentation. Chart by Augusta Local Today.
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Enterprise funds are the largest share. They include the Water and Sewer Fund, budgeted at $177.8 million, and Augusta Regional Airport, at $95.4 million.

The two funds that pay for day-to-day government would grow:

Fund 2026 budget 2027 proposed Change
General Fund $127,943,390 $135,730,840 +$7,787,450
Law Enforcement Fund $91,489,890 $96,893,580 +$5,403,690

The General Fund pays for parks, courts, streets, planning and other city departments. The Law Enforcement Fund pays for the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office and the jail.

Why costs are rising

The budget adds no new positions or programs to the General Fund. Finance staff cut more than $11 million from department requests, and most departments were held flat.

The biggest new costs are:

  • a 3% cost-of-living raise for city employees, about $3.1 million across the two funds, after two years without raises
  • health insurance, up about $2.4 million in the General Fund
  • $5 million less in assumed savings from vacant jobs, $3 million of it in the Sheriff’s Office, which now has only about 20 vacancies
  • about $1.15 million more for software licenses
  • a new jail medical contract, about $2.4 million more in the Law Enforcement Fund

The budget also has to replace one-time money. The 2026 budget used $2 million in landfill fees from Hurricane Helene cleanup and $800,000 in federal pandemic relief funds.

Some requests are left out. They include 49 frozen Sheriff’s Office positions, 24 other new positions and body camera upgrades.

What residents told the city

The city ran an online budget survey from June 8 to Sept. 8. It drew 1,294 responses. The presentation says it is not a random sample.

  • Top priorities: affordable housing (44%), public safety (29%), economic development (25%) and streets and sidewalks (25%). Each person picked three.
  • Worst-rated service: roads and streets, rated poor by 64%.
  • Best-rated services: the airport, waste collection and fire protection, each rated good or excellent by 69%.
  • Value for money: 56% rated the value they get for their tax dollars as poor.

What it means for you

  • Water bills would go up 6.5% from January if the commission approves the rate.
  • Trash fees would rise 3%. Our trash and recycling guide has the pickup schedule.
  • Property tax rates for 2027 will be set next year. The budget proposes higher fire and urban services rates and a net lower county operations rate.
  • Commission work sessions: the city called the first for 2 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14. A second is proposed for 10 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4, a date the city lists as to be confirmed.
  • A public town meeting on the budget will be held in November in the Lee N. Beard Commission Chamber, 535 Telfair St. The city has not announced the date.
  • Adoption is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 17. The budget takes effect Jan. 1.

To contact your commissioner before the vote, see our who to call at City Hall page.