It looks like DeKalb County's 2008 budget is finally finished, with nearly a quarter of the fiscal year already behind.

The $635-million budget was adopted in February, but county commissioners have been trying to amend it since then. They were fighting over money for police pay raises, and finally settled the matter Tuesday, deciding against raising property taxes to boost pay for public safety officers.

After weeks of procedural maneuvering, in the end commissioners made no changes to the February budget. News junkies can be forgiven for confusion over the outcome. Here's the bottom line:

The budget still includes up to 4 percent merit increases for all county employees, including police. In addition, some sworn officers will get a bonus — a $2,672 "longevity incentive" for 277 master police officers, the rank below sergeant that is most prone to attrition.

Police and crime were a priority this year. The budget submitted by Chief Executive Officer Vernon Jones included enough money to hire an additional 127 officers. But with police chief Terrell Bolton complaining about attrition, DeKalb commissioners wanted to pay all officers more.

All seven of them agreed on that. But they disagreed on how to do it. Four wanted to shave money from the already approved budget to pay for across the board raises for police, firefighters, sheriff's deputies, prosecutors and other sworn officers. Three commissioners wanted to raise taxes to boost pay.

The measure to cut departmental budgets by 1.25 percent and shift the money to raises was introduced by Commissioner Kathie Gannon. It passed on a 4-3 vote two weeks ago, with the support of Burrell Ellis, Elaine Boyer and Jeff Rader.

But Jones vetoed it, saying it would force a reduction in services. Jones said he supported a competing measure by Commissioner Larry Johnson that would have increased property taxes to give similar pay raises.

Johnson introduced his proposal two weeks ago, and finally brought it to a vote Tuesday. Commissioners Lee May and Connie Stokes sided with Johnson, but they lacked the fourth vote needed for approval. Boyer and Gannon voted against it, and Rader and Ellis were not present.