The Johns Creek City Council took up a resolution Monday, July 27, to join Fulton County's Superior Court petition authorizing interim 2026 property tax collection, a step aimed at keeping tax bills on schedule amid the county's delayed tax digest.

Resolution R2026-07-12, listed as new business on the council's Monday agenda, would authorize the city to intervene in the county's petition and seek a court order allowing immediate, temporary collection of municipal ad valorem taxes. Assistant City Manager Kay Love confirmed ahead of the meeting that the council would vote on the measure.

The action comes after Fulton County's Board of Commissioners approved its own petition July 15, according to Appen Media. Milton passed a similar resolution the same day, and Alpharetta was also considering one.

What's behind the delay

A backlog of 292 unprocessed land packages representing roughly 1,000 parcels has left Fulton County unable to complete its 2026 tax digest on time. Commissioner Bridget Thorne attributed the bottleneck to only one county employee using Esri, the geographic information system that integrates maps and records for tax purposes.

Without a court order, the county risks missing debt payments, being unable to pay employees, and seeing its credit rating jeopardized. Property tax revenue accounts for more than 60% of Fulton County Schools' budget, and a prolonged delay could force the district to seek short-term financing.

"You had one job and it didn't get done," Fulton County Commissioner Bob Ellis said July 24. "That's a failure that impacts us and all of our jurisdictions."

What it means for Johns Creek homeowners

If the Superior Court judge approves the petition at a 4 p.m. hearing on Tuesday, August 4, the county aims to bill property owners by August 15, with payment due October 15. Those interim bills would use 2025 millage rates because commissioners cannot set the 2026 rate without first completing state-mandated public hearings.

After an interim bill is paid, property owners would later receive a second notice requiring an additional payment or issuing a refund, depending on the final 2026 millage rate, according to Fulton County CFO Sharon Whitmore.

Johns Creek's estimated taxable-property digest has grown from approximately $8.87 billion to $9.06 billion for 2026.

Assessment appeal deadline is Friday

Fulton County property owners have until Friday, July 31, to appeal their 2026 tax assessments. Appeals can be filed online at fultonassessor.org, by mail, or in person at the Board of Assessors offices. Homeowners who qualified for a 2026 homestead exemption but missed the April 1 deadline can still apply during the appeal period.

The Superior Court hearing on the tax petition is set for 4 p.m. Tuesday, August 4, at the Superior Court of Fulton County.