Budget shortfall likely not as steep

Officials of the Atlanta Watershed Management Department now say its financial hole won’t be nearly as deep as they previously thought.

Commissioner Rob Hunter announced Wednesday he now anticipates a $30.5 million budget shortfall when the department closes its financial books on June 30 —- $19.5 million less than the department’s earlier $50 million shortfall projection. In December, Hunter laid off 97 employees in anticipation of the worsening financial condition.

The commissioner said he plans to restore some projects that were delayed and hire some workers.

Hunter based the new projections on three factors: people are using more water, variable bond rate payments are not as high as previously thought and sales tax revenues are doing better.

However, Fulton County Taxpayers Foundation executive director Barbara Payne said: “You are still in a budget shortfall. You are leaking a lot of water.”