Wednesday, September 3, 2003
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Wednesday, September 3, 2003 |
PTC Council to close book on FY04 budgetBy J. FRANK LYNCH
The Peachtree City Council faces a light agenda Thursday, with passage of the 2004 city budget being the only heavy item of business. In most years, that's a mere formality. But the road to this city budget was anything but smooth. With tax revenue shrinking, a pledge to maintain city services, avoid staff cuts, meet the salary scale and rebuild aging infrastructure was a tought one to go back on, especially in an election year. So while the $27.89 million spending plan may be a done deal as presented Thursday night, there's still plenty of room for grandstanding. In essence, what the council will do Thursday is officially vote to raise property taxes 12.3 percent starting Oct. 1, the beginning of the fiscal year. That represents a .58 mill increase in the city's tax rate, to 5.283 mills, or increases the tax bill to the homeowner by $46.6, based on the approximate average value of a home in the city, or $200,000. The combined $27.89 million budget includes $25.47 million in new appropriations and $2.3 million in carry-over items under the Public Improvement Program (PIP), primarily capital outlays associated with the Ga. Highway 54 West widening project, city staff say. Public Works makes up the largest slice of planned expenditures, at 21 percent, although the public safety departments combined account for 35 percent of the total. Viewed seprately, Recreation and Leisure Services spending actually outstrips police spending, 17 percent to 16 percent of the total. In other business Thursday, the council is expected to: ·Proclaim September as National Drug & Alcohol Addiction Recovery Month. · Continue consideration of a request by a local resident to operate a motorized scooter on the cart paths, which is banned by current city ordinances. ·Consider issues related to repeated drainage problems in the Creekside Way neighborhood, near Braelinn Baptist Church on Robinson Road at Crosstown Road.
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