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Finance committee forwards $1.314 million‑short budget to full commission with 2% raises and no property tax increase
Summary
After debate over 2%, 3% and 5% pay increases and options to delay capital purchases, the Budget & Finance committee voted to carry to the full commission a budget that includes a 2% across‑the‑board pay raise, uses debt service to buy five sheriff vehicles, and projects a $1,314,922 shortfall to be addressed at the full commission meeting.
The Coffee County Budget & Finance committee voted to forward to the full county commission a proposed general fund budget that includes a 2% across‑the‑board employee pay raise and no property‑tax increase, leaving a projected shortfall of $1,314,922.
During an extended budget discussion on June 4, staff explained that the county’s preliminary reassessment and several line‑item adjustments reduced an earlier $2.77 million deficit to about $1.314 million if the committee kept a 2% raise and moved the sheriff’s request for five patrol vehicles (about $325,000) to a short‑term capital outlay note paid from general debt service. Staff reported general debt service available at roughly $8.4 million and said the cars could be paid from that balance.
Committee members debated higher raises—3% and 5%—and alternatives such as one‑time bonuses or an incentive program tied to countywide savings. Staff provided cost estimates: the committee heard that 3% would increase the deficit by roughly $162,921 over the 2% scenario and that 5% would add roughly $824,603. Commissioners expressed concerns about locking in recurring raises that the budget could not sustain without drawing on fund balance.
The chair moved to "carry this to the floor with a 2% pay raise" and the motion received a second; the committee approved forwarding the proposal for consideration by the full commission, where members may amend the package. A later motion to reconsider the committee action failed to reach the two-thirds threshold required to revisit the vote at the committee level (the reconsideration count tied 3–3), so any change would need to be made on the full‑commission agenda.
Staff also emphasized timing and implementation constraints, including maintenance‑of‑effort requirements for certain departments and the unpredictability of jail medical costs. The committee scheduled a Monday 6:00 p.m. work session for additional review and a Tuesday 6:00 p.m. full commission meeting where the budget will be debated and voted on.
The committee did not set a final county property‑tax rate at this meeting; members repeatedly noted that projected growth in assessed value—about $32.45 million in new real assessed value as presented—would generate roughly $462,410 in revenue at the proposed uniform rate but would not eliminate the projected shortfall.
No formal budget adoption occurred at the committee meeting; the forwarded package is expected to be the starting point for amendments and final votes at the full commission meeting.
