Bulloch County leaders present two FY2026 budget options as multimillion-dollar shortfall looms

Chairman David Bennett, speaking for the Bulloch County Board of Commissioners during a public hearing, said the county faces a multimillion-dollar shortfall as it prepares the fiscal year 2026 general appropriations budget and work program. "If you look at our budget right now as it stands, we have about a $5,000,000 difference between the revenues that are coming into the county and the expenses that we have," Bennett said.

The chairman presented two contrasting budget paths: a "maintain services" proposal that keeps current services, funds a 22% across-the-board pay increase for county employees and funds 20 new public-safety positions (including eight school resource officers), and a second, leaner proposal that would allow a full millage-rate rollback by cutting positions and programs and limiting raises. "This budget includes a tax increase because we will not roll taxes back if we do this," Bennett said, summarizing the fiscal trade-off.

Why it matters: Bennett said the county has already spent roughly $13 million from its fund balance on storm recovery and has only received partial reimbursements from FEMA and GEMA. He warned that without additional revenue or significant cuts, the county must either use fund balance reserves or raise revenue. He described statutory…