Auburn Council Discusses 2012 Budget

The Auburn City Council discussed the upcoming 2012 budget vote at Thursday night's workshop meeting. 

Auburn's 2012 budget, as presented by City Administrator Ron Griffith, totals $4,788,261.20 in revenues and $4,627,167.38 in expenditures. Revenues are expected to increase from last year, with expenditures decreasing. 

Auburn has implemented several cost-cutting measures this year, including eliminating a deputy court clerk position, reducing court dates from three to two days each month and allowing no across-the-board raises for staff. 

The general fund budget will total $3,329,276.49, with 36 percent of these funds coming from the local option sales tax. 

General fund expenditures will also total $3,329,276.49. Major expenditures include public safety and courts (49 percent), administration and council (14 percent) and public works and roads (17 percent). 

Both general fund revenues and expenses are expected to decrease from the 2011 fiscal year. 

The budget, which will be up for vote Sept. 1, is for the fiscal year from October 2011 through September 2012. A public hearing was held at the beginning of Thursday's meeting with no public comments.