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Spalding County adopts first-reading for lean FY2026 budget, certifies rollback rate under new state laws
Summary
County manager presented a balanced, tightly constrained fiscal 2026 expenditure budget that funds a 2.5% cost-of-living increase for employees, adds public safety staffing and responds to an unfunded state court mandate; the board approved first reading and certified the rollback rate required by Georgia House Bills 581 and 92.
Spalding County Manager Dr. Christopher Ledbetter presented a balanced fiscal year 2026 expenditure budget May 5 and the Spalding County Board of Commissioners approved the budget on first reading and separately certified the county’s rollback rate to comply with Georgia House Bill 581 (2024) and House Bill 92 (2025).
The budget presented is a lean plan that Dr. Ledbetter said carries roughly a $2,035,785 increase over the prior year and a recommended total expenditure budget of $75,000,006.34. He told the board the plan is balanced and that staff is “working diligently hard” to reduce the millage between first and second readings as required by state law.
Why it matters: The budget moves funding to public safety and court needs while attempting to honor voter sentiment around tax reductions. Commissioners described the plan as a careful tightening of expenses that still funds employee pay increases and critical public-safety additions.
Dr. Ledbetter told the board that law enforcement…
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