Friday, June 17, 2005

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PTC budget still being trimmed

Millage rate would stay the same, but property tax would rise

By JOHN MUNFORD
jmunford@TheCitizenNews.com

Peachtree City officials are whittling down the numbers for the city’s proposed budget at an Aug. 1 workshop before the City Council.

Currently, city staff is proposing for the millage rate to remain the same, which will result in a property tax increase due to new construction and increased assessments of other property. Overall, the city’s proposed general fund expenditures of $22.42 million would represent an increase of 4.87 percent from this year’s actual expenditure projections, which were calculated with four months left before the end of the year, said Finance Director Paul Salvatore.

The 2006 Public Improvement Program, a separate account from the budget, would total $2.974 million, including an additional $727,000 from the general fund, Salvatore said.

The budget proposal from staff includes a “surplus carryover” of about $1.7 million to balance the budget from the city’s reserve fund, Salvatore noted. Despite that, the city will still have more than 13 percent of its annual budget tucked away in cash reserves just in case, he added.

Another factor in the 2006 budget is a proposal to use about $2.2 to 2.3 million in additional debt financing for more capital improvements, including a new senior citizens’ building that would be built between the current Gathering Place and amphitheater office building, Salvatore said. That project is slated to cost $700,000 total, with construction occurring in 2007 if it stays in the budget, Salvatore said. As currently contemplated, all three buildings would be connected by a breezeway, he added.

The proposed capital improvements loan would also include other construction projects including completion of the Meade softball field parking lot paving, paving the parking lot at the Riley Field recreation complex, a playground near the planned golf cart bridge over Ga. Highway 54 West near the city limits, expansion of the workout and storage spaces at several fire stations and maintenance storage facilities at the Kedron Fieldhouse and the Highway 74 South Baseball and Soccer Complex.

A restroom facility for the Picnic Park area, which includes the All Childrens’ Playground, is also planned and will be funded with the $150,000 annual recreation payment the city receives from the county, Salvatore noted.

The proposed SPLOST budget is $2.57 million, which includes $584,000 in grant funds already secured by the city.

Staff is also proposing several new positions for the 2006 budget, including:

• A full-time systems specialist for the IT (computer support) department, which would bring the total staff to three persons to support all the city’s computers and networks.

• A full-time city engineer position, to handle the growing list of projects that will be added to thanks to the transportation SPLOST and the move towards the stormwater utility and related necessary improvements.

• A full-time children’s specialist and a part time library assistant, both positions which have been planned for to coincide with the opening of the larger library facility in late October.

• A staff assistant for the planning department which could start out part time and perhaps become a full-time role. A part-time staffer currently handles those duties and other staff have to rotate to cover the front desk in the planning department.

Not included in the current working version of the budget are requests for six new positions for the fire department and seven positions for the police department, Salvatore noted.

The city’s street and cart path resurfacing funds will be increased by about $300,000 more in 2006 under the proposed budget. The city anticipates the start of its monthly payments, perhaps in July, from the county, Salvatore said. The tax was collected on all sales starting April 1.