Politics & Government
Commissioners Get Look at 2012 Budget
Chairman Tim Lee said Friday that the county's 2012 budget will be about $8 million less than the $317 million 2011 budget.
The will get a first look at the 2012 budget during a work session this afternoon.
Chairman Tim Lee said Friday that the county's 2012 budget will be about $8 million less than the $317 million 2011 budget, the Marietta Daily Journal is reporting.
Lee also told the MDJ he does not expect any layoffs or furloughs of the county's 4,200 employees in the new budget year. Since May 1, county employees have been forced to take five unpaid days off to help balance the current year's budget.
The Cobb County Board of Commissioners voted 3-2 last month in favor of raising taxes to make up a possible $33 million deficit in the 2012 fiscal year.
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Commissioners Bob Ott and JoAnn Birrell voted against the proposal.
The county raised the rate from a total of 9.6 mills to 11.11 mills for the year that ends Sept. 30. Tax bills started going out Aug. 15.
Find out what's happening in Acworthwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
On a $140,000 to $160,000 house, the increase will be $82.67 more per year. On a $190,000 to $210,000 home, the increase will be $111.66 per year.
At the board's regularly scheduled 7 p.m. meeting, the commissioners are expected to award the $1.8 million "Alternatives Analysis" light-rail study to Croy Engineering as the study's project manager.
The study will examine what kinds of mass transportation will work on the Interstate 75 and U.S. 41 corridors, how much it will cost and where it should be built.
Cobb Transportation Director Faye DiMassimo said she expects the study will be done in 18 months. But that will be after voters in Cobb and other metro-Atlanta counties vote on whether to pay a 1 percent sales tax for 10 years to finance transportation improvements.
The TSPLOST project list currently includes plans for a light-rail line from the Cumberland Mall area to MARTA's Arts Center Station.
Also, commissioners are also expected to transfer $80,320 in contingency funds to the Cobb Elections department to cover the cost of the Sept. 20 special election to fill the state House seat left vacant by the death of Republican Bobby Franklin.
The Governor's office set the date of the election, and five Republicans qualified for the seat this week.
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