Clayton County residents will see no property tax increase and no cuts in county services after the county commission voted 3-2 Thursday night for a $168.77 million budget for the next fiscal year.

"I've said constantly if the public has to tighten their belts, we've got to tighten ours, and we've done that," County Chairman Eldrin Bell told commissioners. "We are in a time where we need to be very cautious on how we spend our monies."

The commission voted against employee raises, contributions to nonprofits, mapping software and other expenditures.

"Atlanta, East Point and even our neighbors to the south are laying off employees or raising taxes," Bell said. "I told my employees no raises, but you'll keep your job."

No employees will be laid off.

The only additions to the budget are $100,000 for 10 more lawn mowers and $10,000 for the Good Shepherd Clinic in Morrow, which provides free medical services to those in need. The money to cover those additions will come from four vacant positions in the commissioners' office that will not be filled, Commissioner Wole Ralph said.

"I'm just real concerned about increasing expenditures without having any revenue we can count on," Ralph said.

The budget also includes $20 million in reserve, enough to operate the county for one month, Bell said.

The property tax rate will remain 13.453 mills. That figure does not include the school tax rate, which is to be set next week.

Commissioners Virginia Burton Gray and Michael Edmondson voted against the budget.

Gray, who is running against Bell for chair, said she has seen restaurants and other businesses leave the county, affecting the county's tax income. Other businesses and residents are threatening to move if the school system loses its accreditation in September.

"I think our revenue stream is overstated," Gray said. "With this economy, I don't think we can expect that much of an increase in revenue."

Last month, Clayton had the highest delinquency rate for mortgages out of 11 counties in metro Atlanta, according to Trans-Union credit bureau.

The county budget includes a 3.3 percent spending increase or about $5.6 million more than the current budget. Bell said increased revenues have allowed the county to balance its budget.

About 15,000 properties, including residential and commercial, went up in value. About 27,000 properties lost value and roughly 46,000 stayed the same, according to the county's chief appraiser Rodney McDaniel.

The county started this year with a $26 million deficit, but is ending in the black, Bell said.