The Downtown Live summer concert series hosted by the City of Statesboro totaled more than $111,000 in 2024, according to city financial records and it was taxpayers who foot the bill for more than half of it.
The event series, which the city claims is an effort to “bring more activities to the Downtown Area with a series of concerts,” has been a point of contention for some who say the goal more closely aligns with another taxpayer funded entity – the Downtown Statesboro Development Authority (DSDA) – than it does the City of Statesboro as a governmental entity. Nevertheless, the city has utilized its resources to prop up the “free” event.
In 2023, the Downtown Live summer concert series featured four concerts. City leaders lauded the success of the series and promised to double the number of concerts in 2024.
Earlier this year, TheGeorgiaVirtue.com examined the financial breakdown of the city’s expenses for the 2023 series. City documents revealed that taxpayers were on the hook for $29,000, more than fifty percent of the expenses which totaled $56,984. The article prompted conversation on social media with a number of folks indicating they would be willing to pay a small entry fee to the concerts so that taxpayers were not saddled with entertainment costs.
But in 2024, the concert series cost $111,561.23.
2024 Expenses
Note: This is not the complete total. According to the City, they are still waiting on invoices from EMS.
The City reports that the concert series totaled $111,561.23 for all eight concerts. Included in the costs were stages, portalets, printed materials, artist fees, hotel expenses, meal expenses, advertising, DJs and emcees, and miscellaneous supplies.
After donations of the monetary and in-kind varieties, taxpayers were on the hook for $65,867.28 for the concerts – more than double what they funded in 2023.
Note: The following chart was provided by the City of Statesboro. Under event production, the expense total is $5,900 for a total of $47,200 because there were 8 concerts and the stage and related costs are multiplied by 8.
Monetary and In-Kind Donations
Increased Spending for Concerts Amidst Calls for City Needing More Money
2023’s concert series was bookended with city council’s vote to increase taxes by 30% — a 13% increase in the millage rate itself, on top of 17% inflation in the assessed value of taxable property in the city limits. That increase still left the city with a need to plan to dip into the reserves for FY 2024, to the tune of approximately $1 million, in order to balance the budget.
In 2024, city officials voted again* to increase the millage rate just after the conclusion of the summer concert series – this time to the tune of 25%.
It’s worth noting that the city has had a net increase in taxes every year since at least 2017.
During a city council meeting last week, Mayor Jonathan McCollar said the city has ‘dug into the reserves’ for the last three years to ‘help mitigate the cost of running government.’
