11 areas where Roswell Mayor wants to cut funds due to COVID-19
Roswell expects to lose nearly $10 million in revenue in the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.
Budget manager Harpreet Hora presented Mayor Lori Henry’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2021 to the City Council during a work session Monday. The presentation showed an 11% loss in revenue.
The budget draft is posted online and was prepared by city Finance Director Ryan Luckett's team, including Hora.
The City Council will have three more occasions to review budget drafts before a vote in June. Council members will hear city department directors presentations on funding needs, Tuesday.
“While this information is not going to be a pleasant surprise, I know you all will come out of this with the same thoughts that I have, which is we’re in good position,” Henry told councilmembers.
The city’s sales tax income is projected to have the biggest loss of $6.3 million, a 24% drop from what was projected before the public health crisis.
Projected revenue from business taxes, licenses and permits, and property taxes call for nearly $3 million less in collections than was originally estimated.
Roswell’s fiscal year starts in July. Here is some of what the city planned to spend before the pandemic, but the finance department is now proposing not be funded.
- $1.14 million for employee salary increases
- $1.4 million for 21 fulltime fire captain positions
- $2.5 million for maintenance 70 city buildings and facilities
- Nearly $7 million for fire stations No. 2 and No. 8
- $5.2 million for the 911 emergency communications center
- $270,000 for Mimosa Hall's certificate of occupancy
- $179,000 on Historic house properties
In Hora’s presentation, partner organizations such as Roswell Inc., which manages the economic development for the city, would receive less money.
- Roswell Arts Fund would receive $50,000 in funding ($200,000 less)
- Roswell Inc. would receive $290,000 in funding ($197,200 less)
- Roswell Historical Society would receive $30,000 in funding ($20,000 less)
- Historic Roswell Beautification Project would receive $26,000 in funding ($21,650 less)
