Fayetteville resident cites FY2025 cuts, urges Franklin County to restore budget webpage and stream meetings

Valerie Jordan of Fayetteville used the public-comment period to raise concerns about the county’s FY2025 budget and to request greater public access to meeting materials and recordings.

Jordan told commissioners she reviewed the budget approved for fiscal year 2025 and said it included multiple cuts that she described as harmful to county employees and services. In her remarks she cited specific figures: she said general government spending was cut by $2,000,000; judicial services increased by $800,000 after a request by District Attorney Ian Brink; public safety was cut by $600,000; and capital and debt-service spending was cut by $8,400,000 while she said the county’s annual debt service for FY2025 was about $6,600,000. Jordan said total cuts for FY2025 “came in at $15,900,000.” She also said property-tax growth for FY2025 rose by $600,000, citing projects such as Penn National.

Jordan asked that the county restore the budget documents to the county’s main web page so residents can more easily find them. She also asked whether the county could post meeting recordings to YouTube “in perpetuity,” saying one board voted to do so in Norcross and asking county staff to look into cost. She said she would follow up by email and thanked staff.

These figures and claims were presented by Jordan during public comment; commissioners did not discuss or debate the specific numbers during the meeting. Jordan named District Attorney Ian Brink in the course of her remarks; the county did not provide additional budget detail or confirmation during the public-comment period. Jordan’s request to restore the budget to the county’s main page and to publish meetings online was recorded in the public-comment portion of the meeting.