The Mableton City Council voted 6-1 Monday to adopt a 4.5-mill tax rate for the city’s Public Safety Special Service District, creating a dedicated funding stream for law enforcement and other public safety services.
The rate is projected to generate about $21 million annually. City officials said money collected through the district is legally restricted to public safety services and cannot be shifted to unrelated General Fund expenses.
The funding will pay Cobb County for law enforcement services already contracted through May 2027 and help fund Mableton’s Public Safety Division, which is expected to include local law enforcement, emergency management, code enforcement, community engagement, public safety technology and related municipal court operations.
The council created the special service district in December 2025 as Mableton moved toward taking on greater local responsibility for public safety. City officials said the dedicated tax district is intended to provide a stable source of money as the city builds out those services.
At the approved rate, the estimated annual cost on a home with a fair market value of $350,000 is about $630, or $52.50 per month, before exemptions. The rate also applies to commercial properties within the district.
Mableton officials said the city is working to establish exemptions to reduce the impact on qualifying homeowners, including senior citizens and disabled veterans. The city said it will provide regular public reports on revenue, spending, staffing and implementation tied to the Public Safety Special Service District.
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