Barring disaster or a prolonged spike in gas prices, Augusta could get through 2009 without a tax rate increase.
To balance the budget without cutting services, the Augusta Commission would have to increase the tax rate by 1.588 mills, which is $55.58 on a $100,000 home. City Administrator Fred Russell laid out an alternative for three commissioners who attended a Wednesday work session -- Joe Bowles, Don Grantham and Alvin Mason -- that involves slashing programs, imposing fines and rethinking cost estimates.
Mr. Russell's proposed 2009 budget totals $688 million, with $127.3 million for the general fund -- operating expenses.
Law enforcement accounts for 56 percent of the general fund and, without a tax increase, faces a $3.4 million deficit. With the blessing of Sheriff Ronnie Strength, Mr. Russell proposed making up for that by adjusting expenses and revenues and throwing in $1 million from the reserve fund.
Under the option, the city can save $780,000 by moving county inmates out of the Richmond County Correctional Institution, which houses state prisoners, and back into the Phinizy Road and Walton Way jails. Another $723,000 was gained by lowering projected fuel costs from $3.50 per gallon to $2.50 per gallon.
Projections for pay increases were also lowered by $343,120. Mr. Russell said he'd previously over-estimated the number of deputies due for raises.
Sheriff Strength stressed that no deputies will be denied raises or laid off.
"We're not going to compromise safety," he said.
The sheriff reluctantly went along with a plan to raise $150,000 through a false alarm ordinance, under which businesses and homeowners would be fined the fourth time a faulty alarm system summons a deputy.
Deputies would still be dispatched to every alarm, exceptions would be made when they're triggered by weather and property owners would be compelled to realign their systems so they don't waste taxpayer dollars, Mr. Russell said.
Other proposed general fund cuts include saving $319,820 by eliminating the Human Relations Commission, $75,000 by not funding improvements to the James Brown exhibit at the Augusta Museum of History, and $72,320 by eliminating the Summer Youth Employment Program.
Reach Johnny Edwards at (706) 823-3225 or johnny.edwards@augustachronicle.com.
What's Next: The Augusta Commission will vote on whether to adopt the 2009 budget at its next meeting, at 2 p.m. Tuesday, in the Municipal Building at 530 Greene Street. The 2009 millage will be set in August, and under options presented Wednesday by City Administrator Fred Russell, there will be no increase if no unforeseen expenses arise.
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