Friday, January 25, 2002
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Friday, January 25, 2002 |
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Commissioners approve $599 million budget
The Fulton County Board of Commissioners has approved $599.9 million for the County's 2002 general fund. This is an increase of 7.5 percent from 2001. The general fund, which supports countywide services such as the criminal justice system, health and human services, Grady Health System, senior centers, the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System, arts program, tax assessments and collections, and elections, will have a $38.6 million reserve. The criminal justice system, which includes $79.3 million for the sheriff's department, will receive $173.4 million, a 4.6% increase from last year. In 2002, the county will commit $149.8 million to health and human services. This will include $78.9 million for the Grady Health System, a 4.5 percent increase from last year. Also, the Board is providing $750,000 for West Nile virus measures, $750,000 for AIDS treatment and awareness, $700,000 additional funding for medicine for the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse, and $547,185 for an additional parking lot at the Harriett G. Darnell Senior Multipurpose Facility. The commission agreed to fund $16 million for the county's portion of the Regional Transportation Improvement Program. For annual operations, the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System is slated to receive $29 million and the Arts Council will get $5.7 million. The county's five-year capital program, which includes multi-year monies for some projects, will fund $5.3 million for equipment replacement, $1.4 million towards the Ocee Library Branch, $2.6 million for the Southwest Performing Arts Center, $1.5 million for an adult daycare facility plus $500,000 for ADA requirements for the H.J.C. Bowden Senior Multipurpose Facility, and $1 million for the East Atlanta Library Branch. The Ocee Library and the Southwest Performing Arts Center should be completed in 2003. The Bowden Facility improvements should be done by the end of this year. Additional capital outlays include $1.6 million for jail repairs and system upgrades. The Brown Field Master Plan will see $672,200 in funding for the planning and design of the Aviation Museum, $92,000 for north terminal site preparation and Loop Road design, and $252,000 for construction of the north terminal site. The Special Services District Fund, which supports municipal-type services to Fulton residents living in unincorporated areas, will receive $104.6 million with $10.8 million in reserve. The board also agreed to add $1 million to the Fulton County Fire Department's budget for additional staff. The 2002 budget includes a January 4 percent and a July 2 percent cost-of-living adjustment for county employees. Additionally, the Board increased entry level pay for all employees from $18,556 to $21,000 and approved $750,000 for a pay and classification study for county employees. While the 2002 County millage rate is set in May, this budget does not contemplate any increase from the previous year
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