DeKalb proposes layoffs to meet budget shortfall

By Megan Matteucci

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

DeKalb County will likely turn to layoffs and library closures to help offset a decline in property tax revenue, officials said Tuesday.

The county has not determined how many workers will be cut, but said the latest figures show the county has an $8.7 million shortfall because of a decline in the tax digest.

County commissioners have been waiting for the administration to finalize a government reorganization plan. Instead, officials brought a proposal to the commission’s budget committee Tuesday that calls for cuts to libraries, the Human Services Department and voter registration.

“It will be up to those departments, but we’ve already made all the cuts we can,” Chief Operating Officer Keith Barker told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Layoffs seem to be the only option.”

The commission will make a final decision next month.

Barker said the cuts are necessary since the commission is against raising property taxes.

Commissioner Connie Stokes, chairwoman of the budget committee, said she would like to look at changes in processes before looking at staff.

“It seems we’re going to balance the budget by just getting rid of some people,” she said.

In February, the commission approved a $564 million budget that included no tax increase. The budget included $50 million in cuts, along with an early retirement program that was designed to avoid layoffs.

About 826 county workers signed up for the program -- more than officials expected. The high participation meant no layoffs, county officials said in April.

But that was before the county realized just how hard it would be to operate with huge cuts in staff.

While the retirements are saving the county $13 million, the county can’t afford to operate with about 800 fewer people, Barker said. About 775 are leaving on Friday. The rest leave in the next two months.

Barker has proposed filling 47 percent of the retirees’ 826 positions, saying they are critical to county operations. Refilling those jobs would cost the county $4.9 million.

Barker said he is still working on the government reorganization plan to trim that list.

Libraries, Human Services and voter registration are the departments that had the lowest number of people who took the retirement package, Assistant Finance Director Joel Gottlieb said.

Commissioners said Tuesday they are also hoping to save money by paying less to Grady Memorial Hospital, now that the hospital is reportedly making a profit.