Gwinnett 2010 budget includes $387 million cut

By Patrick Fox

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

About 20 Gwinnett County residents were on hand Thursday evening to hear details of the county's proposed $1.3-billion budget for 2010. Still angered by a tax increase passed last week, the majority who spoke on the measure scolded officials for proposing a spending plan that was still too fat for their liking.

The $1.323 billion budget is down $387 million from the $1.71 billion budget for 2009. It anticipates keeping the property tax rate at 13.25 mills.

Commission Chairman Charles Bannister said the budget will provide for maintaining and bolstering core services but will maintain cuts in other departments imposed earlier this year.

The budget includes $974 million in operating funds and $349 million in capital funds.

Revenues are expected to increase by $72.8 million, primarily due to the county's move last week to increase its portion of the property tax rate by 21 percent. Because billing for the tax increase -- about $160 for the owner of a $200,000 house -- will not occur until March, the county will receive revenue from the 2009 tax hike in 2010.

But while property tax revenue is expected to climb by $78 million, the county is anticipating declines from just about all other sources, including license fees, permits and interest on investments.

"You need some help here," said Maurice Cook of Suwanee.

He recommended county employees adopt salary cuts for six months. He also chastised the county for supporting non-profit groups. In one case, he said, that support entangled the county in a multi-million-dollar lawsuit with trash haulers.

"I'm 73 years old and I don't remember times as scary as these are," said Ed Phillips of Lawrenceville. He went on to say the county needs to restrict its spending to police and emergency operations and reduce spending on parks and recreation.

Capital improvements -- buildings, land purchases and renovation -- will take the biggest hits next year. Special purpose sales tax expenditures will be cut in half from $384 million in 2009 to $181 million in 2010.

County officials have said they want to delay new construction projects during the economic downturn, especially those projects that require staffing. Salaries and other operating costs are classified as operating expenses and cannot be paid through sales tax dollars.

Enterprise funds, which include airport, solid waste, storm water and transit, will also be cut by almost half, from $288.7 million in 2009 to $150.3 million next year.

Some of the major cuts in operating funds include about $7 million in tourism initiatives, $4.2 million in vehicle purchases and $2 million in storm water operating.

Not everything is being trimmed.

The recreation fund will increase by $6.3 million to $41.6 million. Police funding will increase by about $200,000 to $85.4 million.

Because of the tax hike passed last week, police will receive an infusion of $10.5 million which will allow the department to add 58 positions. The budget also allows for the staffing of three fire stations and will allow the library system to open and operate its 15 branch at Hamilton Mill early next year.

County officials hope this year's budget process will be smoother than last year. Because of unanticipated drops in revenue that came to light late last year, the county commissioners adopted a provisional budget in January and put off adopting a final 2009 budget until midyear.