The city has continued to cut money from an already tight budget, resulting in a $723,000 reduction from the 2010 amended budget. Peterson called the projected 2011-2012 budget “razor thin,” with an estimated $11,625,000 in revenues up against $12.2 million in expenditures.
City council members discussed the upcoming financial process during a work session following their regular meeting Monday, April 26.
The city has pared down its workforce by hiring no new employees for the past 24 months, Peterson said. There will be no salary increases next fiscal year, and sick leave buyouts have been eliminated.
The city may face a hike in employee insurance costs. Peterson said he has budgeted for at least a six percent increase, though the cost could rise as much as 19 percent. Every 1 percent increase for the city’s group insurance equals about $18,000.
Franchise fees from utilities are down about $25,000 from 12 months ago, Peterson said; and proceeds from the lease of assets and royalties (these make up six percent of the city’s gross revenues from the sale of water, sewer and electricity) are $147,000 down from 2008. Hotel and motel revenues are up $15,000 from last fiscal year, however.
The golf budget has been reduced from more than $1 million to about $800,000, he said.
Nonessential services will suffer, Peterson said. Grass will simply have to be cut less often, streets swept more seldom, and services like fire training in schools will have to be cut back.
Property tax collections have been lower than originally expected.
Peterson estimated in late March that collections would come to about $1.2 million, rather than the originally estimated $1.9 million.
The latest residential property reassessment brought in enough appeals to delay the submission of a tax digest to the state last year. Peterson said the city may be writing refund checks for adjusted property assessments for the next few years. A recent refund, he said came to $38,000.
“I’ve never seen a $38,000 refund check (before),” he said.
$1,800,000 Meadows-Mathews Golf Course;
Boys and Girls Club - Capital Outlay - $3,819,370.31 [Excludes salaries to run];
Election and Registration Expense: $209,450. UP $66,493 from 2008. $1,700 overtime;
Two animal controls. County budget alone: $231,160.
Nothing changes until you demand leaders.
Vote candidates who say...
Politicians shift alliances and follow the special interests who fund them.
Local government is an allegory of Want. I'll rein it in.
Pink slip for decision makers who think you rube enough to believe, "... may face a hike in employee insurance costs."
Budgets remain bloated.
2) As a city tax payer, MY taxes will go up if the two systems were joined because the county BOE does not as efficently as the city. Compare those salaries, number of administrators, etc. I don't want ANY part of it!
As tax payers, we are getting soaked, and it's not going to get better until we are better stewards of the publics dollars. But until our government STOPS SPENDING OUR MONEY on the federal, state, and local level, nothings going to get done. We have to STOP SPENDING MONEY that we don't have. Locally, we do not have the money trees in our backyard that Obama and the Congressional Machine does. We have to use restraint. Making tough choices has never been pleasant. Your slams against the children and parents o the count schools help to prove my point. Kids are kids. Dollars are dollars. We need to stp the bashing and consider what's the best way out of the situation. I still say that it is utterly ridiculous and a total waste of our money to operate two systems during a time of financial need. Let's publish the salaries in both administrative offices, benefits, operating costs for two buildings, etc., and let the hard working tax payers see where the money is going to.
As for the schools and combining service; that's been voted on THREE times and TURNED DOWN three times. Would it be a waste of money to vote again? Frankly, given the quality of people the county elects, as a city citizen, I WANT the schools, rec and anything else seperate!
I think you will find IF the state cuts things such as grad coaches, the local boards will too, if not (and I agree we all pay) why not take the money. If we don't another system will and we get NOTHING for our tax dollars.
I think you will find both the local BOE's are making some hard choices. Ask the people who hold the positions that are being cut? Is that the blood you are screaming for? Look those people in the face and tell them they were excess baggage. No you would rather rant and complain on a blog( and that is your right) about things you really don't know about. When is the last BOE or county Comm meeting you went to and voiced these concerns? Be careful, you can't hide there.
We waste TOO MUCH MONEY in administrative costs in both the city and the county. We needed to one one system long ago, but rivalries and animosity get in the way of financial sense. It's crazy to pay for two systems Superintendents, assistant superintendents, and a flood of system administrative officers. We're not Cobb County...We have two rather small systems...only three combined High Schools. For us to just throw away precious tax dollars on wasted salaries like this is not only stupid but also irresponsible.
Six figure salaries for all of the elementary, middle and high school principals and head coaches during hard times is a joke. We have coaches who spend one period as a "athletic director," one period as "planning period" and two periods as "weight training" teachers....What a joke.
It's fine to drive a Cadillac and have steak dinners if you can afford it, but you better tighten the belt and drive a ford pinto and eat pinto beans if that's all you can really afford.
We now have "Graduation Coaches, Math Coaches, and Reading Coaches" in our schools that we, the people are paying for. Cut them out.even if the state pays for their salaries in some form of grant, WE, THE PEOPLE, still pay for their local supplements, health care, retirement benefits, etc., and WE, THE PEOPLE still pay 100% of their state reimbursement.
Hard times require had choices. Too bad we don't have real local, state and national leaders who truly are willingly to make the hard choices and lead by example.
It's simple. STOP SPENDING OUR MONEY! Local, state, President Obama, Congress,Republicans and Democrats alike, just aren't listening. STOP SPEnDING OUR MONEY!
These folks have a tough time with providing services and saftey as it is - but Golf?
My taxes went way up, along with all the "fees" but services will be cut back so some can play golf?
Why do they make it hard on themselves?
Thanks for doing what all ya'll do, but I'll never understand the importance of golf.
BTW, the tax assessments were and still are a disaster.