Proposed 2012 Budget: County Facing $3 Million Deficit without Tax Increase

The proposed county budget for fiscal year 2012 was presented to the board of commissioners on Tuesday, Aug. 9.

Under the proposed budget, revenues are expected to total almost $31 million.

An adjustment for projected losses on property taxes — losses of a little more than $2 million — would bring the adjusted revenue estimate to $28,850,572.

With projected expenditures totaling $31,870,328, the county is facing a projected deficit of more than $3 million.

Cecil Highfield, chief appraiser in the county’s , estimated raising taxes by 1 mill would result in about $1.5 million in revenue.

“If the board takes this route we would need, in order to meet the deficit, we would need to raise taxes about 2.06 mills,” Rose Kisaalita, chief financial officer for the county, told commissioners while presenting the budget.

“That 2.06, actually 1.06 of that mills is to raise is back to what it is last year,” Commissioner Larry Joe Wilburn said. “Theoretically that is supposed to be revenue neutral. Last year, we did add a mill on. The actual rise would be about four-tenths of a mill, am I correct on that Miss Rose?”

Kisaalita confirmed that increase.

Current millage rates are as follows:

• — County at 29.088 and city at 4.931
• — County at 29.088 and no city taxes are assessed
• Town of Braselton — County at 29.088 and no city taxes are assessed
• — County at 29.088 and no city taxes are assessed
• — County at 29.088 and city at 5.619
• — County at 29.932 and no city taxes are assessed
• Unincorporated Barrow County — 29.088

Under the proposed budget, the county would put away $600,000 in reserves, money that could be used in the event department heads came before the commission asking for more money. 

“If they come back, this is the pot,” Kisaalita said.

A glance at the 2012 fiscal year budget shows increases in funds for most departments over fiscal year 2011.

“When you look at each department, most of that department will look like we are giving them more money than in fiscal year 11 and that’s because the retirement almost doubled,” Kisaalita said.

Public hearings on the proposed budget will be held at 6 p.m. Aug. 23, noon Aug. 30 and 6 p.m. Sept. 6, and residents are encouraged to attend. Commissioners will vote on the proposed budget Sept. 13.