By GABE JORDAN
gabe.jordan@gaflnews.com
CORDELE — Crisp County commissioners are moving forward on plans for the FY2008-09 budget — which includes no increase in property taxes — despite a few “yellow flags” that may indicate a decrease in revenues for the coming fiscal year.
Crisp County Finance Director Sherrie Leverett told commissioners at Tuesday’s regular commission meeting that this year’s tax digest reflects growth of 3.58 percent due to new home construction in the area. She said that made it possible to balance the coming budget without raising the millage rate.
“This is another feather in our cap and it comes from the good work on the part of those who are responsible for revenues and finance as well as for spending,” said Commission Chairman Ferrell Henry.
Leverett went on to say the situation could be better, pointing to a drop in sales tax revenues and a downward trend in monthly business at the landfill.
“It’s not a red flag,” Leverett told commission members, “but it’s definitely yellow, and we could see revenues affected in the future.”
The monthly average tonnage deposited in the Crisp County landfill for the fiscal year that ended June 30 was 3,963.77 tons. The monthly tonnage hasn’t met the average since January, when 4,232.93 tons of material was disposed of at the landfill, although Leverett and County Administrator Gene Crapse pointed out that the average is skewed somewhat by the disposal of peanut butter involved in a major recall last October.
Sales tax revenues paint an even more volatile economic picture. SPLOST revenues that were collected in April and disbursed in June were down by more than $75,000 from the previous month, from $403,943 to $326,298. LOST revenues for the same period are down more than $35,000, dropping from $190,454.95 to $153,157.78.
“We’ll just have to keep praying for better economic times,” Commissioner Brad Faircloth said at the close of the finance director’s report.
In other commission business:
• Commissioners heard an election pitch from Lee County Commission Vice-chair Wally Roberts, who has thrown his hat in the district 13 state senate race. Roberts promised to be a voice for local government in Atlanta if elected. Crapse presented Crisp County’s list of priorities for the upcoming session of the state legislature and touted the commission’s accomplishments.
• Henry appointed himself and commission members William Culpepper and James Nance to the Crisp County Power Commission for the six-month term that begins in July.
• Commissioners approved a tax credit for Teresa and Curt Titshaw to compensate the couple for mistakenly overpaid property taxes.
• Commissioners went into executive session at the close of Tuesday’s regular meeting to discuss potential litigation, real estate business, and personnel matters.
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