Milton, Fulton County Wrestling Over Money

By DOUG NURSE / www.ajc.com / Published on: 07/28/08

Johns Creek has its money from Fulton County. Now Milton is battling Fulton County to get all of its share.Before the two communities incorporated into cities Dec. 1, 2006, the county collected taxes from residents there with the intent of providing them services. But not all money was spent, and the cities wanted it.

Fulton County agreed, and once the Legislature created a legal way to do it, the situation seemed resolved.

For Johns Creek it was. It received $2.8 million, which it promptly put in its reserve fund.
With Milton, the county sent Milton a $4.18 million check. But Fulton County withheld $1.2 million for cleaning up pollution at Providence Park, which the city inherited from the county.
The city cried foul, saying the pollution occurred on the county's watch, and so the county should bear the cost of cleaning it up.

The county said fine, but it was going to pay for the cleanup out of the pre-city-tax taxes. Hence, the withholding of the $1.2 million.

Milton wrote the county asking for "clarification" about the withholding. The county hasn't responded yet.