COUNTY RAISES BUDGET 7.5% FOR OPERATIONS

Fulton County commissioners adopted a 2002 budget that provides a
slight expansion of existing services. No increase in the property tax
rate is expected when the board sets the rate later this year.

The budget provides $599.9 million for county operations. That's a 7.5
percent increase from the 2001 general fund.

About $64 million of the budget was funded with reserves. The county's
rainy-day fund now contains about $102 million, and is expected to
have $38.6 million at the end of the year.

Commission Chairman Mike Kenn had proposed spending $10.6 million less
than the amount approved by the Board of Commissioners at its Jan. 16
meeting. Kenn cast the lone vote against the operations budget.

Commissioners also approved a pay increase for board members who take
office in January. The new annual salaries for the six part-time
commissioners will be $35,000, up from $25,000. The annual pay for the
part-time chairman will be $37,000, up from $27,000.

The raise is far less than that proposed in October, but is more in
line with the original proposal by Republican Commissioner Tom Lowe,
who represents Buckhead. In October, commissioners supported at-large
Commissioner Karen Webster's recommendation to boost salaries to
$45,000 for the commissioners and $50,000 for the chairman.

Road maintenance

Commissioner Bob Fulton, a Republican who represents north Fulton,
said he was irritated that the budget does not provide funds for
routine road maintenance. Fulton tried, but failed, to persuade
commissioners to provide $9.3 million for roads.

The county typically earmarks about $10 million to fix potholes, build
sidewalks, widen intersections and provide other routine
improvements.

However, the board did provide $16 million for the county's
participation in the regional transportation program.

The county will draw additional federal funds for major road
construction projects.

Criminal justice

Commissioner Nancy Boxill, a Democrat who represents the central
portion of Fulton, argued against increased spending for the criminal
justice system.

Boxill said the crime problem should be addressed by providing better
help for those with drug and alcohol problems.

"It is very disconcerting to me that the biggest [budget] increase is
in criminal justice," Boxill said. "It is wrong to say we care more
about criminal justice than anything else in the budget."

Commissioners approved a 4.6 percent increase in the criminal justice
budget, which includes courthouse functions and the jail. The total
amount is $79.3 million.

The board approved $149.8 million for health and human services. The
figure includes $78.9 million for Grady Health System, which receives
most of its funding from Fulton and DeKalb counties; $750,000 for West
Nile virus control; $750,000 for AIDS treatment and awareness; and
$547,185 to expand the parking lot at the Harriett G. Darnell Senior
Multipurpose Facility.

County employees will receive an across-the-board pay increase that
amounts to 5 percent this year.

The budget provides a 4 percent raise to take effect in January, and
an additional 2 percent adjustment in July.

Kenn prevailed in his effort to provide all employees with a
cost-of-living increase, as opposed to a combination across-the-board
raise and merit-pay raises.

The annual entry-level pay for all county employees was increased from
$18,556 to $21,000.

The commission approved $750,000 for a pay and classification
study.

Here are some other budget highlights:

$672,200 for the planning and design of an aviation museum at Fulton
County Airport-Brown Field;

$92,000 to prepare the north terminal site at Brown Field and design
the Loop Road;

$252,000 for construction of the north terminal site at Brown
Field;

$2.2 million for yard trash pickup for north and south
Fulton.

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Attachment: http://www.mapinc.org/temp/part2845.html
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