The DeKalb County Commission met last Monday night and voted on a public referendum over a $65 million bond deal. A grass-roots movement was started after the commission voted to approve up to $65 million in bonds towards the construction of a proposed judicial center to replace the DeKalb County Jail and DeKalb Courthouse at their June meeting. The county commission adopted the bond resolution and a 51-cent property tax increase for debt service to fund the project.

Shortly after, a petition drive was launched in order to force the bond issue to a ballot referendum at the November election. The campaign garnered more than the 10-percent of registered County voters needed to move the referendum forward, and was certified by the DeKalb Election Commission.

The commission could either vote to approve placing the issue on the ballot for voters to decide, for vote not to place on the ballot, which would automatically stop the bonds from being issued. The referendum would not affect the property tax rate, which was already approved. The property tax rate for the year 2024-25 is set at $2.51 per $100 of assessed value, up from $2.00 per $100 of assessed value last year.

County Mayor Matt Adcock explained the referendum vote to the commission, saying, “If you vote in favor of the resolution, that means it does go to the ballot and people will have the opportunity to vote on whether we will be able to borrow the money or not. If you vote against this resolution, that just kills it. That means it would not go on the ballot. Nobody would be able to vote on it and we would not be able to borrow the money.”

Already on the ballot, is the question of whether or not the county should establish a $50 wheel tax. Mayor Adcock said that if approved by voters, the wheel tax would offset the 51-cent tax property tax increase. The tax rate could then be lowered next year (2025-26) from 51 cents to 33 cents.

The commission voted 13-0 in favor of adding the referendum question to the ballot this November.