2/5/2010 

Update on County Finances and 2010 Budget

Financial Update

Mark Hardison, auditor for the county, presented some preliminary figures for 2009.  These figures are unaudited, but some adjustments and procedures have been made.  I have put these on my website under the “Financials” link. 

www.MaryPatrick4Jasper.com/09CompileBudvsAct.pdf

The original budget for 2009 was set at $9.6 million dollars.  After much discussion and review, the Board realized that this amount of revenue was not possible based on the previous year’s income and the current economy.  The BOC then amended and cut the budget to $8.2 million in June 2009.

Due to the late payment of approximately $340,000 by the State of the homestead credit for 2008 (paid to the county in 2009) the county received $8.37 million, a surplus of $170,000 for 2009. 

By cutting the original budget, the BOC avoided overspending $1.2 million ($9.6M - $8.4M).  Some departments did continue spending as if there were no financial problems at all.  For instance, the Clerk of Court preliminary figures show overspending of $27,255. 

On the worksheets from the auditor, any figure in the far right hand column surrounded by parentheses indicate overspending of budgeted expenditures.  Check to see which departments overspent and by what amount for 2009.

For the current year the BOC has already been told that the property digest will be going down by at least 10%.   In 2009 $7 million in taxes were collected.  If they decrease 10%, revenues will decrease approximately $700,000.  We already know there will be no homestead credit –a decrease of another $340,000.  Based on these facts, the $7.5 million budget as adopted will be more realistic.  The proposed 2010 budget is on my website under the “Financials” tab:

www.MaryPatrick4Jasper.com/FIN 2010PropBud.pdf

The information posted shows the 2009 budget and the proposed cuts to arrive at the 2010 budget.  There are still some very necessary adjustments that must be made.  I proposed adding $50,000 back to the hospital budget, $17,000 back to the library budget, $48,000 to the 911 budget (they can not operate if this amount isn’t added back), and $20,000 to the Recreation budget instead of using the $150,000 to lower deductibles on the current health insurance plan.   This recommendation was not voted on.   A “YouTube” video shows what happened.

http://www.youtube.com/gajasper#p/a/u/0/Y_QQhTflnsE

Public hearings will be held February 15 at 6:00PM.  Please let all commissioners know your comments on the proposed budget.  I do hope you will come and speak and let all the BOC know your position.  Yes!  You can comment during the meeting on this item!

Any budget can be amended at any time.  If the commissioners see that revenues are coming in more or less than expected, the budget can and should be amended.  We can all hope that revenues will increase and the budget can be increased rather than decreased.  However, it would put the county in a questionable financial position to be overly optimistic and once again overspend and then have to raise property taxes to make up the difference.  Citizens just can not afford more property taxes.

I look forward to hearing from you and hope to see you at our next meeting.   I am here to serve you.

Mary Patrick
District 4 Commissioner,
Jasper County, GA
www.MaryPatrick4Jasper.com

marypatrick@wildblue.net