Charles Baugh's take on the ballooning budget
Citizens for Oconee's Future, Inc.
P. O. Box 1301
Watkinsville, GA 30677
Subject: Board of Commissioners Budget Hearing and Agenda Meeting Notes, 5/30/06
Sadly only a hand full of citizens came to the Budget Hearing but I suppose those who did not waste their time were the smart ones as what was presented was virtually incomprehensible. However there were 2 numbers that just jumped off the charts: a total "budget" of $43,261,408 representing a 9.13% increase over last year. It did not take long to see that what was presented as the "budget" was in fact grossly incomplete when a citizen asked how much is included for the new jail financing. The answer was nothing. Excuse was because the Board had not decided how to finance it and they expect to cover it with the fund balance. Later one of the Commissioners pointed out that the cost of acquiring right of way for the Mars Hill road widening also was not in the "budget". As it stands now the "budget" increase is 9.13% and apparently rising. This comes on the heels of increases the past several years, during a period of historically low inflation. You can guess what happens in the coming years as inflation picks up. Whatever happened to conserving in the good years in preparation for the lean years? To say this Board is spending like drunken sailors would be an affront to drunken sailors.
The update on financing the new jail went about as expected. The Board will finance the jail using a lease purchase arrangement which effectively avoids going back to the voters for approval and allows the Board to spend future revenues now plus the SPLOST revenues. Jail costs keep going up. The $3M jail approved by the voters went to $6M, then $10.3M and last night "near $12M". The additional cost of maintaining and staffing this facility plus the cost of housing state prisoners will run into millions. The state does not pay the full cost of housing state prisoners resulting in Oconee taxpayers subsidizing the state prison system. A million here a million there and........well, you know the rest.
The law requires the County to hold a public hearing on lease purchase financing. That hearing will be held at 6:00 PM Monday June 5th. The Board will then vote to approve it at the Tuesday June 6th meeting, the same meeting at which the "budget" will be approved.
There were several other spending items discussed and put on the consent agenda for the 6/6 Board meeting. I won't go into those except to point out one as an example of what happens with projects requiring big spending. A change order increase of $82,034 was approved for right of way road construction at the new park. No mention of where the money comes from in the current budget, just a decision to spend it. This won't be the last.
Folks, you need to pay attention to what this Board is doing. You won't get much useful information from the 2 newspapers. Go by the courthouse and look at the "budget" information. Call or e mail the Commissioners. The spending and the taxing are related. Don't just complain about the tax bill, when the tax bill comes the damage is already done.
Charles Baugh
President
P. O. Box 1301
Watkinsville, GA 30677
Subject: Board of Commissioners Budget Hearing and Agenda Meeting Notes, 5/30/06
Sadly only a hand full of citizens came to the Budget Hearing but I suppose those who did not waste their time were the smart ones as what was presented was virtually incomprehensible. However there were 2 numbers that just jumped off the charts: a total "budget" of $43,261,408 representing a 9.13% increase over last year. It did not take long to see that what was presented as the "budget" was in fact grossly incomplete when a citizen asked how much is included for the new jail financing. The answer was nothing. Excuse was because the Board had not decided how to finance it and they expect to cover it with the fund balance. Later one of the Commissioners pointed out that the cost of acquiring right of way for the Mars Hill road widening also was not in the "budget". As it stands now the "budget" increase is 9.13% and apparently rising. This comes on the heels of increases the past several years, during a period of historically low inflation. You can guess what happens in the coming years as inflation picks up. Whatever happened to conserving in the good years in preparation for the lean years? To say this Board is spending like drunken sailors would be an affront to drunken sailors.
The update on financing the new jail went about as expected. The Board will finance the jail using a lease purchase arrangement which effectively avoids going back to the voters for approval and allows the Board to spend future revenues now plus the SPLOST revenues. Jail costs keep going up. The $3M jail approved by the voters went to $6M, then $10.3M and last night "near $12M". The additional cost of maintaining and staffing this facility plus the cost of housing state prisoners will run into millions. The state does not pay the full cost of housing state prisoners resulting in Oconee taxpayers subsidizing the state prison system. A million here a million there and........well, you know the rest.
The law requires the County to hold a public hearing on lease purchase financing. That hearing will be held at 6:00 PM Monday June 5th. The Board will then vote to approve it at the Tuesday June 6th meeting, the same meeting at which the "budget" will be approved.
There were several other spending items discussed and put on the consent agenda for the 6/6 Board meeting. I won't go into those except to point out one as an example of what happens with projects requiring big spending. A change order increase of $82,034 was approved for right of way road construction at the new park. No mention of where the money comes from in the current budget, just a decision to spend it. This won't be the last.
Folks, you need to pay attention to what this Board is doing. You won't get much useful information from the 2 newspapers. Go by the courthouse and look at the "budget" information. Call or e mail the Commissioners. The spending and the taxing are related. Don't just complain about the tax bill, when the tax bill comes the damage is already done.
Charles Baugh
President
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