3.4% increase will maintain 38% reserve fund; 40% goes for public safety; city brings mowing back in-house
A budget workshop on the FY 2019 proposed Peachtree City budget was held June 25. As proposed, the city’s General Fund budget would total $37 million, an increase of 3.43 percent to cover increased expenses of $870,000 and to maintain 38 percent in cash reserves.
The FY 2018 actual budget totals $35, 826,434 while the proposed budget would total $37,056,830, a difference of $1.23 million, or 3.43 percent.
Approximately 38.8 percent of revenues come from ad valorem taxes while 20.3 percent are from local option sales taxes, 14 percent from other taxes, 11.1 percent from other revenues and 7.2 percent from franchise taxes.
The cash reserve balance to be maintained at 38 percent would need to account for approximately $13.8 million in the FY 2019 budget, an increase of $176,887 over the current amount.
The largest portion of the proposed increase in expenditures includes $181,701 for six firefighter/paramedics under the SAFER grant program, approximately $18,000 for a part-time fire inspector, approximately $223,000 (1.5 percent) in maximum merit increases and approximately $278,000 (2.5 percent) in cost-of-living increases.
Public Works in the proposed budget would remove funding of outsourced mowing, an amount totaling $259,000. The budget adds five work crew staff and benefits for a total of $294,540, a net increase of $35,540.
Approximately 21 percent of expenditures are associated with the fire department, while 19 percent deal with the police department and 16 percent with public works. The remaining 44 percent come from all other city departments.
The proposed budget also includes maintaining the current $1.8 million for 3-4 miles of road work and a decrease of $2,250 in airport funding, per agreement.
The council will hold another budget meeting Tuesday, July 10, at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall.
The budget is effective in October.
